Essential Interactive Image

Number 2

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Works Cited

Number 1

https://www.barrierreef.org/what-we-do/projects/reef-islands

https://www.barrierreef.org/what-we-do/projects/resilient-reefs

Links to how the Great Barrier Reef foundation is trying to stop this issue:

Other areas are affected by these same issues. “There is a confirmed, widespread bleaching event taking place from the Dry Tortugas in the Florida Keys, all the way up to Martin County,”(Derek Manzello, coordinator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Coral Reef Watch.

Whats being done to help?

Click the stars below to see how climate change is effecting this ecosystem

The Great Barrier Reef

Ocean Acidification

"The ocean absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, making it more acidic". This is called acidification and this makes it harder for corals to build skeletons and form reefs These are important becuase they are homes for marine wildlife and protect the coastline.

Severe Weather Events

climate change causes a drastic change in the frequency and intensity of weather events and this means reefs are exposed to cyclones, flooding, and storms. "Between 2004 and 2018, 10 cyclones of category three or more crossed the Great Barrier Reef, causing significant damage to coral reefs."

Habitat Changes

Due to the rise in water temperature, marine animals are being forced to move to colder habitats. This not only increases competition for food and shelter, it also threatens the entire ecosystem. "For Reef communities, the loss of marine life can have a devastating impact on local ecosystems, food sources and other industries such as tourism."

Coral Bleaching

"When corals suffer heat stress, they expel the microscopic algae that live inside their tissues, revealing their white skeletons." This makes these corals more at risk for starvation and diseases. These heatwaves in the marine have already caused 4 mass bleachings in the past 7 years "reducing shallow water coral reefs by as much as 50%.".

If the Great Barrier Reef's damage becomes irreversible, many animals' homes will disappear, and marine biodiversity will suffer immensely. And, like a domino effect, many fish, turtles and other creatures will disappear.

How does this affect us globally?

https://www.barrierreef.org/the-reef/threats/climate-change

https://www.wusf.org/environment/2022-10-15/massive-coral-bleaching-event-florida-not-good-sign-struggling-reefs