Friday, December 14th, 2007

Coral in Crisis

Bleached corals on coral reef on southern Great Barrier Reef in January 2002. Coral bleaching primarily affects reef building corals when conditions get too warm. Image © Science

The world's coral reefs are in great danger, threatened by climate change and rising carbon dioxide levels. In an article published in the journal Science, researchers provide provide three different scenarios for the fate of reef-building corals worldwide as they face higher concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide and the related ocean acidification that slows coral calcification, the process needed for a reef to grow. Increasing CO2 levels have the potential to greatly shift the chemistry of ocean waters, threatening the existence of most coral species.

The fragile corals also face a phenomenon known as 'bleaching,' caused by rising temperatures, and damage from overfishing, pollution, and oil and gas exploration. We'll hear about the forecast for the future of the world's coral.

Guests

Ken Caldeira
Chemical Oceanographer
The Carnegie Institution, Department of Global Ecology
Stanford University
Stanford, California

Related Links

Segment produced by:Karin Vergoth

Image: MODIS image shows the location of coral bleaching at Heron Island within the Capricorn Bunker Group of Great Barrier Reef.
NASA

Image: Reef scene with sea rods.
Mike White, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

Image: Sponge, coral, and searod.
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Staff, Florida Keys National Marine

Image: Bleached corals on coral reef on southern Great Barrier Reef in January 2002. Coral bleaching primarily affects reef building corals when conditions get too warm.
Image © Science