Download I believe that damage and lose being made to the coral reefs

Maxqsts-Team Cycle A (Julio, Scott, Yolanda, Christy)
Cycle B Team: Model Building
Revised Problem Statement
According to actual field monitoring data, what seems to be the relationship between sea
surface temperatures and coral decline?
Our Findings that led to our conclusion
Much like the rainforests, everything within the coral reefs is connected. Any event, large or
small, effecting one organism will reciprocate to all other organisms within that ecosystem.
When the event is actually happening on the coral reef (essentially the backbone of the
ecosystem) the results are devastating just as the clear cutting of trees within the rainforest.
Unfortunately, I feel that the coral reefs do not receive the attention that the rainforests do.
Possibly due them being more out of site than the rainforest, their destruction not being as
noticeable as the rainforest or the perception of them being more of a tourist attraction rather
than beneficial part of the environment.
The coral reefs make up a very important aspect of our environment. They are an abundant
source of food for both the oceanic ecosystem and human population. Along with providing
food, organisms of the reefs have supplied many medical ingredients which are either impossible
or nearly impossible to find elsewhere. Coral reefs also help reduce and in many cases prevent
the erosion of coastlines thus preserving a whole other ecosystem. Of course, recently the debate
for coral reefs has been focusing on their importance to the carbon cycle by providing a “carbon
sink” helping in the reduction of carbon dioxide. Finally, they give an aesthetic quality to our
planet like no other and provide a great deal of enjoyment to those who are able to view them.
Coral reefs are very important for their role in several important aspects related to
ecology and human economic development. I think that providing the main habitat for
species used as food sources in developing countries alone justify the efforts to protect
them. However, their role as sources for potential drugs for the pharmaceutical industry
can not be overlooked. I believe that the reported increase in threatened or destroyed
reefs, from 59 % in year 2000 to 70% during year 2005 suggest an increasing trend.
ESS Model
Event to Sphere Interactions
Event > Atmosphere
Reduced amounts of living coral would greatly reduce the amount of carbon dioxide which could
be removed from the atmosphere thus allowing levels to remain the same or easily increase.
This of course would result in high atmospheric temperatures which would then translate to
higher oceanic temperatures…. which would then help to deplete the living coral numbers even
more. Very vicious cycle there!
Event > Biosphere
Depletion of the reefs would throw oceanic life into turmoil. The reefs provide a habitat for a
quantity of organisms rivaled only by that of the rainforests. Their depletion would greatly
interrupt the well established and very delicate food chain present. This would also have a
drastic impact on the human use of aquatic life.
Event > Hydrosphere
Coral reefs are important steps in the carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, and nutrient cycle of the
oceans. Without the reefs helping to regulate these important aspects the waters could become
toxic to some species and overly rich to others. The changes in these cycles would also effect
the oceans interaction with the atmospheric portion of these cycles.
Event > Lithosphere
The coral reefs act as a barrier protecting the coast lines. Depletion of the reefs would increase
the amount of erosion thus helping to eliminate another important ecosystem. More erosion
would increase the amount of sediment in the waters which would be detrimental to the reefs by
blocking off much needed sunlight and “polluting” the waters with unneeded deposits.
Sphere to Sphere Interactions
Atmosphere > Biosphere
Coral reefs decline will cause atmospheric CO2 levels to increase, aggravating global warming
and its consequences in the geographical distribution of organisms.
Atmosphere > Hydrosphere
Enhanced global warming would induce changes in cloud stratification which might change
average water temperatures in certain zones.
Atmosphere > Lithosphere
Increased water vapor in the atmosphere due to higher temperatures, if combined to windy
conditions can lower air temperatures resulting in cooler ground temperatures.
Lithosphere > Biosphere
Higher soil temperatures coupled with higher air temperatures will make faster metabolic activity
on soil decomposers.
Biosphere > Lithosphere
Increased metabolic activity and overall soil biota can change the thickness of the A layer on
the soil profile.
Hydrosphere > Lithosphere
Less coral reefs at coastal areas will represent more impact from waves and storm surges,
decreasing shoreline and sandy beaches.
Hydrosphere > Biosphere
Changes on water chemistry combined to warmer SST will induce eutrophic conditions resulting
in changes of biodiversity.
Hydrosphere > Atmosphere
Corals decline will reduce CO2 dissolution in water, changing relative CO2 concentrations in the
atmosphere.
Lithosphere > Hydrosphere
Enhanced wave action due to removal of reefs, specially near estuaries will decrease and divert
the flow of water to sea during periods of floods.
Causal Chains
Lithosphere > Atmosphere > Hydrosphere > Biosphere
Impairment of the formation of carbonate deposits will increase CO2 at the atmosphere,
reducing it at water bodies which in turn will decrease productivity by reducing photosynthesis.
B>A>L>E
Anthropogenic activities are the main cause of coral decline, and enhancing the greenhouse
effect. The concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are increasing the infra-red
radiation emitted by the Earth's surface. Higher Sea Surface Temperatures will cause further
coral decline.
E>H>B
Declining reefs and the resulting enhanced warming will increased flooding from the increase in
sea levels, which in turn will disturb coastal ecosystems and coastal human communities.
Conclusions
Several causes can be involved in the decline of coral reefs, both natural and anthropogenic.
Coastal development is a major factor because among other effects, it could be related to
multiple stressors such as increased sedimentation, changes in coastal geography and freshwater
input from estuaries. Global warming has been identified as another important stressor. This is
because with global warming, sea surface temperatures could reach higher than the 31 degrees
Celsius, reported as the upper value in the temperature range. Under the influence of these
stressors, the polyps which form the coral colony can expel their symbiotic algae, fostering coral
threats.
Suggested Course of Action
1) Awareness and Education: The world needs to understand the interconnectivity of our
environment. Even though the coral reefs are hidden from sight, they are just as important as the
rain forests, ozone layer, and ocean systems.
2) Protection: A world wide body needs to push for local governments to remove as many
stressors on the reefs as possible. A great starting point would be human development and
pollution of coast lines.
Additional Resources:
NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program - http://www.coralreef.noaa.gov
U.S. Coral Reef Task Force - http://www.coralreef.gov
International Coral Reef Initiative - http://www.icriforum.org/
http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2004/jun/science/jp_untangling.html
http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/Killeen_archive/paper_to_html/coral.html
http://www.marinebiology.org/coralbleaching.htm
www.icran.org/pdf/ITMEMS 3 WRITTEN PROCEEDINGS - FINAL.pdf