Coral reefs cover less than one per cent of the ocean floor, but they are the lifeline for the marine world. If left unchecked, they can also lead to disease and partial mortality, leading to coral die-offs
One of the leading causes for increased level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and oceans is climate change and green house gas emissions. Pronounced levels of carbon dioxide are playing havoc with the delicate chemistry of seawater.
Accumulated carbon dioxide creates carbonic acid, which dissolves carbonate, the prime component in corals and oyster shells. This poses problems related to the formation of hard shells by coral, shellfish and other precious under water life forms. In fact, according to research studies, world’s oceans are 30 per cent more acidic than they were before the Industrial revolution.
This turnabout in the quality of seawater has affected the coral reefs in particular. Coral reefs can be referred to as the lifeline of the oceans as they host a wide variety of plants and animals and their health signifies the well being of the entire marine ecosystem. Coral reefs represent millions of years of growth and many of them could be the oldest living communities. Rapid climate change coupled with environmental exploitation triggered by unrestrained human intervention is threatening the coral reefs. This is now becoming a global long-term problem.
Warmer and acidic waters are not only eating away the reefs but also changing the habitat that supports specific species of fish, crustaceans and corals. This, in turn, has been affecting the tourism industry and community food security that relies on reefs. The degrading and dissolving reefs, that once, served as an effective checkpoint and also as a protection against storm surges, are now exposing the local population to nature’s forces. In addition, the warm sea temperature and worsening environmental conditions have increased the instances of massive coral bleaching, especially in the North Pacific region.
Coral bleaching, which considered as a precursor to a coral die-off, is a phenomenon where corals lose the symbiotic algae that give them their distinctive colour. If left unchecked, massive coral bleaching can lead to disease and partial mortality leading to coral die-offs. In fact, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef too stands at risk of coral bleaching.
Usually, a warm year, translates to a bad news for the corals as is evident in 1998, when the worst coral bleaching took place due to an El Niño event combined with climate change that raised the global sea level and air temperatures and destroyed nearly 15 per cent of the world’s corals. Oceanic conservation and remedial measures are heavily dependent on accurate data gathering and analysis. A comprehensive and real time data is instrumental in delivering effective conservation action.
An apt example for this is the Coral Reef Watch project by the National Oceanic Atmospheric and Administration, under the Coral Reef Conservation Programme. The project utilises NOAA’s satellite data to help monitor reef conditions and identify areas at risk for coral bleaching.
Awareness generation in the coastal communities can help conservation of water and prevent pollution of seas. Over the last one year, Mumbai has witnessed a 45 per cent jump in sewage effluents being pumped into the sea, this can have irreversible impact on the fragile undersea ecology. Similarly, efforts can also be focused on bringing down fossil fuel emissions. This will help, bring down ambient air temperatures thereby reducing the threat of mass bleaching of corals.
Agriculture can have a telling and strong impact on the health of the seas. Strong chemicals and pesticides used in agriculture eventually find their way to the sea and pose a serious threat to the coral reefs and marine life. The Government must ensure that apart from advocating usage of ecological and organic fertilisers, it must ensure that the authorities actually implement the initiatives at ground level.
Coastal tourism comprising of under sea exploration as a part of holiday packages have long been criticised for bringing unwanted pressure on the marine ecosystem. The sensitivity of the tourism industry in India towards ocean life has never been up to the mark and it is the need of the hour for the Government to approach the issue through the concerned departments and promote reef friendly hospitality and tourism business.
The stakeholder’s need to be made a part of an integrated coral reef ecosystem management effort wherein safe and responsible diving and snorkeling that is sensitive to the corals is advocated. Even though coral reefs cover less than one per cent of the ocean floor, they support an estimated 25 per cent of all marine life, with more than 4,000 species of fish alone. Mankind has driven these diverse ecosystems to the brink. It is crucial to retrieve them before it is too late.