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The Caribbean's coral reefs will cease to exist in 20 years if a conservation effort is not made. [126] In 2005, 34 percent of Jamaica's coral reefs were bleached due to rising sea temperatures. [127] Jamaica's coral reefs are also threatened by overfishing, pollution, natural disasters, and reef mining. [128]
Scientists have warned about corals’ fate for years. In 2018, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimated that 70% to 90% were at risk of “long-term degradation” if global ...
The degree of susceptibility of a coral, the symptoms, and the rate of progression of the disease vary between species. [3] Due to its rapid spread, high mortality rate, and lack of subsidence, it has been regarded as the deadliest coral disease ever recorded, with wide-ranging implications for the biodiversity of Caribbean coral reefs. [4]
[14] [15] Coral reefs are microbially driven ecosystems that rely on marine microorganisms to retain and recycle nutrients in order to thrive in oligotrophic waters. However, these same microorganisms can also trigger feedback loops that intensify declines in coral reefs, with cascading effects across biogeochemical cycles and marine food webs .
Coral reefs also help coastal communities by forming a protective barrier against storm surges and large waves. This helps to avoid property damage for more than 5 million people worldwide, a 2022 ...
The world’s largest deep-sea coral reef has been discovered off the East Coast: a massive 6.4 million acre seascape that stretches from Florida to South Carolina, according to National Oceanic ...
Coral diseases have the possibility to change the structures of reefs in a negative way, because one-third of corals are at risk of going extinct because of coral bleaching. [ 5 ] [ 6 ] This bleaching, partially caused by diseases, is linked to a decrease in coral cover and loss of biodiversity in reefs. [ 5 ]
Warm-water coral reefs are very sensitive to global warming and ocean acidification. Coral reefs provide a habitat for thousands of species. They provide ecosystem services such as coastal protection and food. But 70–90% of today's warm-water coral reefs will disappear even if warming is kept to 1.5 °C (2.7 °F).