Coral reefs are dying off from coral bleaching which is caused by warm water and what happens is that coral will expel algae called zooxanthellae living in their tissues causing their corals to turn completely white. The cause of this will induce the growth rate, decrease reproductive capacity and increase disease. This in turn will also effect the fish community and ruin the economy for fishers fishing near there.
Ocean absorbs carbon like are ecosystem does and any that is not fixed dissolves into the seawater which in turn alters the seawater which is called ocean acidification. it causes an increase in CO2 and combines 2 chemicals HCO3 and H+. The ph has changed and the acidity doubled by 2100 fossil fuels that are burned. Polar regions will be the first to change and have a dramatic impact. Researchers predicted that coral reefs will dissolve due to are changing ocean chemistry and will be extinct in 50 years.
Zooxanthella is what helps corals produce food quicker and with them gone corals will have a hard time surviving. With the Zooxanthella gone it makes coral bleaching occur and make it harder to thrive but not kill them. coral stays in salty areas and with saltanity decreasing it cause coral loss which is the 2nd major conflict.
Credits:
Created with images by NOAA Photo Library - "reef1448" • pvandyke3 - "Porites lobata bleach 1" • Derek Keats - "Coral reef scene, Fiji" • James St. John - "Porites astreoides (mustard hill coral) (San Salvador Island, Bahamas) 11"