The Fall of Coral ReefsRachel Neuharth

The Earth is getting

unnaturally hotter… what will this mean for the

coral reefs?

Global warming

is heating up

the oceans’

water

temperature.

The reefs are experiencing a phenomenom called “coral bleaching”.

Scienctist, Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, explains what this means for reefs.

What is coral bleaching?

Coral bleaching is caused when water temperature increases and the coral expels zooxanthellae, single celled algae within coral. Zooxanthellae is critical for coral reef health.

That sounds terrible!

What is being done to

protect the reefs?

Australia plans world’s

largest marine

protection zone in Coral

Sea.

Australia’s Environment Minister, Tony Burke, talks about the planned Coral Sea Commonwealth Marine Reserve.

To be continued…

BibliographyHoegh-Guldberg,, O. (2008, September 3). Coral Reefs Under Rapid

Climate. Retrieved from http://www.eeb.cornell.edu/harvell/Site/2007_files/HoeghGulberg07.pdf

Coral Sea marine reserve on the way. (2011, November 25). The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved from

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/coral-sea-marine-reserve-on-the-way-20111125-1nytd.html

Images retrieved from:http://wavemakersrq.wordpress.com/ http://www.clker.com/clipart-9974.html http://www.freeclipartnow.com/geography/earth/ http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/ml/ocean/cb/virtual_stations.htmlhttp://www.whitsundaytimes.com.au/story/2011/06/21/burke-refuses-qld-tourism-proposal/ http://www.france24.com/en/20111125-australia-plans-worlds-largest-marine-reservehttp://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/fbeinecke/global_coral_bleaching_another.html