Reefs at Risk from Warming, Pollution, Study Says

A new report from a group of scientists in the U.S. and the Caribbean says that six species of coral could die off in the Caribbean due to rising sea temperature and pollution caused by development on islands in the region. The Associated Press reported June 8 that the threatened reef-building animals include staghorn and elkhorn corals.

"One of the Atlantic Ocean's most beautiful marine habitats no longer exists in many places because of dramatic increases in coral diseases, mostly caused by climate change and warmer waters," said Dr. Michael L. Smith, director of the Caribbean Biodiversity Initiative at Conservation International.

Damage to mangroves, which filter island pollutants, also is linked to declining coral populations; the study says that 42 percent of Caribbean mangrove forests have vanished in the past 25 years due to construction of coastal housing, tourism, and aquaculture development. “Mangroves protect shorelines, shelter fish, and filter pollution,” said Aaron Ellison of Harvard University. “The Caribbean was blessed with an abundance of these useful plants, but the consensus of this workshop is that mangroves are in trouble everywhere and need to be protected and restored."

The report noted that while some healthy coral reefs still exist -- singling out Bonaire Marine Park -- even protected reefs are still being stressed by global warming. “The Caribbean tourism industry relies heavily on the beauty and health of its sea life,” said Dr. Kent Carpenter, director of the Global Marine Species Assessment project. “Concentrated marine conservation and a global effort to halt man-induced climate change are necessary to preserve this vital economic engine in the region.”

A summary of the report findings is available at the website of the Caribbean Biodiversity Initiative.