Human activity blamed for decline of coral reefs

Mia Moore

New study on the damage the Caribbean Coral Reef has suffered due to man-made Climate Climate change and pollution. Four billion in services such at tourism and fishing lost due to mass eco damage. Full article by James Randerson available on The Guardian.

Caribbean coral reefs have suffered significant damage from over-fishing and run-off from agricultural land, according to a study of 322 sites across 13 countries. The study provides compelling evidence that proximity to a large human population spells bad news for the survival of reefs.

"It is well acknowledged that coral reefs are declining worldwide but the driving forces remain hotly debated," said author Camilo Mora at Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada. "In the Caribbean alone, these losses are endangering a large number of species, from corals to sharks."

He estimates that the reefs provide $4bn in so-called ecosystem services - quantifiable benefits in terms of fishing, tourism and protecting the coast from storms.

Numerous threats to coral reef ecosystems have been identified previously including over-fishing, rising sea temperatures due to climate change, and pollution, but his team aimed to go beyond local effects and identify significant factors at a regional level. The study used data on the health of corals, fish and large algae such as seaweed from 322 sites between 1999 and 2001.