A devastating decline in coral cover caused a parallel decline in fish biodiversity, both in marine reserves and in areas open to fishing. Over 75% of reef fish species declined in abundance, and 50% declined to less than half of their original numbers.
- How do coral reefs affect biodiversity?
- How does coral affect the ecosystem?
- How do the loss of coral reefs affect biodiversity?
- How do coral reefs benefit the environment in terms of biodiversity?
- What is biodiversity in coral reefs?
- What type of biodiversity is supported by coral?
- Why are coral reefs important economically?
- How is a coral reef an ecosystem?
- How does coral bleaching affect coral reefs?
How do coral reefs affect biodiversity?
Coral reefs support more species per unit area than any other marine environment, including about 4,000 species of fish, 800 species of hard corals and hundreds of other species. Scientists estimate that there may be millions of undiscovered species of organisms living in and around reefs.
How does coral affect the ecosystem?
Coral reefs protect coastlines from storms and erosion, provide jobs for local communities, and offer opportunities for recreation. They are also are a source of food and new medicines. Over half a billion people depend on reefs for food, income, and protection.
How do the loss of coral reefs affect biodiversity?
In addition to finding that half of living corals have died since the 1950s, researchers discovered that coral-reef-associated biodiversity dropped by 63 percent. Healthy reefs support thousands of different corals, fish and marine mammals, but bleached reefs lose their ability to support as many species.
How do coral reefs benefit the environment in terms of biodiversity?
It provides habitat for nearly 9,000 species of marine life—and that's just the (relatively) easy to count ones! The reef's rich biodiversity helps it to maintain a stable and healthy coral reef system. Another way to look at biodiversity is from the perspective of the 'jobs' that organisms do within the system.
What is biodiversity in coral reefs?
Biodiversity refers to the variety of living species that can be found in a particular place. Coral reefs are believed by many to have the highest biodiversity of any ecosystem on the planet—even more than a tropical rainforest.
What type of biodiversity is supported by coral?
The variety of species living on a coral reef is greater than in any other shallow-water marine ecosystem, making reefs one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet. Covering less than one percent of the ocean floor, coral reefs support an estimated 25 percent of all known marine species.
Why are coral reefs important economically?
Healthy coral reefs contribute to fishing and tourism, providing millions of jobs and contributing to economies all over the world. Scientists develop important drugs from coral reef organisms as treatments for cancer, arthritis, and viruses.
How is a coral reef an ecosystem?
Coral reefs provide habitat for a large variety of marine life, including various sponges, oysters, clams, crabs, sea stars, sea urchins, and many species of fish. Coral reefs are also linked ecologically to nearby seagrass, mangrove, and mudflat communities.
How does coral bleaching affect coral reefs?
Bleached corals can no longer gain energy from photosynthesis, and if bleaching persists for an extended period, corals will starve and die. For those that survive, bleaching can deplete the corals' energy resource to the extent that corals do not reproduce for one or two years.