Human Overpopulation And Its Effects On Coral Reefs

Throughout the world, coral reefs have died off due to a chemical process known as bleaching. NOAA states in â€Å"What is coral bleaching?†, bleaching is the by-product of corals getting too warm; when corals get too warm they expel the algae (zooxanthellae) living in their tissues, which causes them to turn completely white. Today, the remaining coral reefs are being stressed by the human inhabitants who exist upon the land masses from which these reefs neighbor; which, in turn, has caused these remaining reefs to approach extinction. Moreover, coral reefs are underwater barrier islands, and if they become extinct, Florida and any other landmass protected by a reef shall face the full brunt of every storm that comes their way. However, at the†¦show more content†¦The Great Barrier Reef may contain over 134,286 square miles of marine wildlife, but its secondary purpose is to protect Australia from the killer cyclones that try to invade the country. According to Aliso n Jones and Ray Berkelmans, In December 2010, the highest recorded Queensland rainfall associated with Tropical Cyclone ‘Tasha’ caused flooding of the Fitzroy River in Queensland, Australia. A massive flood plume inundated coral reefs lying 12 km offshore of the Central Queensland coast near Yeppoon and caused 40–100% mortality to coral fringing many of the islands of Keppel Bay down to a depth of [approximately] 8 m. The severity of coral mortality was influenced by the level of exposure to low salinity seawater as a result of the reef’s distance from the flood plume†¦ There was no evidence in this study of mortality resulting from pollutants derived from the nearby Fitzroy Catchment... suggesting that during a major flood, the impact of low salinity on corals outweighs that of pollutants. Recovery of the reefs in Keppel Bay from the 2010/2011 Fitzroy River flood is likely to take 10–15 years basedShow MoreRelatedThe Great Barrier Reef Is Important1142 Words   |  5 Pa gesGreat Barrier Reef is one of the seven wonders around the world. It is approximately 344,400 kilometers long. The Great Barrier Reef is home to many marine organisms. More than 1,500 species of fish live in the Great Barrier Reef. The coral that forms The Great Barrier Reef is made of polyps. Billions of living coral polyps are attached to the reef. The colour of these polyps range from blue, green, purple, red and yellow. As the largest living structure on the planet, the Great Barrier Reef is incrediblyRead More The Damaging Impact of Overpopulation on the Environment Essay904 Words   |  4 PagesThe Damaging Impact of Overpopulation on the Environment 6.5 billion†¦This is not a whole lot of bacteria, but when it comes to humans, it is a very formidable number. The human population has been increasing at an extremely high rate in the last century and unfortunately, not much has been done to slow down this process. Undoubtedly, overpopulation is a global issue. It is global because it pertains to all of humanity, but global also means that it affects the whole world, i.e. the environmentRead MoreEffects Of Overpopulation On The Planet s Ecosystems2162 Words   |  9 Pagessuch as medications and vaccines have caused birth rates to surpass mortality rates resulting in overpopulation. According to Population Paradox, an academic article by Mairi Macleod, an evolutionary biologist,â€Å"It took until 1800 for our numbers to reach 1 billion. Now the human population exceeds 7 billion and is set to reach 10 billion by 2085† (Macleod). Overpopulation is having detrimental effects on the planet s ecosystems, which was discusse d in the provided stimulus, The Struggle To GovernRead MoreOverpopulation : Environmental And Social Problems3271 Words   |  14 Pageshas been a sustainable resource that humans have taken advantage of and been nourished by during evolution. Humans consider one of their main goals to reproduce and populate the Earth. As shown in the graph by World Bank , the world population as of 2013, is estimated to be over 7.1 billion. This is the result of exponential growth from previous years. This massive populations have effects on our resources, causes social problems, overcrowds areas, and effects other species. Earth is hitting theRead MoreNegative Effects of Overpopulation on the Environment2014 Words   |  9 Pagesâ€Å"Overconsumption and overpopulation underlie every environmental problem we face today† (â€Å"Population,† Internet). With the current statistics, Jacques could not be more accurate. Every second, 4.2 people are born and 1.8 people die, which would be a net gain of 2.4 people per second (â€Å"Population,† Internet). At this steady rate, the environmental health is spiraling downwards, and it is safe to assume humans are responsible for this. As the population increases, harmful effects on the land, water,Read MoreTaking a Look at Poaching796 Words   |  3 Pagesfor them. The Independent writes: â€Å"evident in the overfishing of sharks, the loss of an apex predator results in the overpopulation of smaller fish†¦Since coral reefs and other marine ecosystems are known to be some of the most diverse in the world, bearing far more delicate and complex food chains than those on land, the loss of one or two species has immediate and adverse effects on the entire ecosystem. Ultimately, as there is insufficient food to sustain the under-controlled and increasing populationRead MoreThe Effects Of Sharks On The World s Ocean Without Those Sharks2057 Words   |  9 Pageswould happen in the world’s ocean without those sharks? The depopulation of sharks is increasing dramatically due to human impacts. If this continues, it will negatively impact all aspects of ocean life and environment (Ferretti et al, 2010). The depopulation of a creature so high on the aquatic food chain can lead to the overpopulation of other organisms, which causes a domino effect on all creatures i n the ocean. This could either rapidly increase or decrease their population, altering the food chainRead MoreThe Cause Of Loss Of Biodiversity1842 Words   |  8 Pagesbiomass; whereas today, with the exponential growth of humans, overpopulation, and overconsumption, humans and the animals we own (namely livestock) take up around ninety-eight percent of the Earth’s biomass. This increase in population has also shown to be detrimental to not only farm animal health, but also human health. According to the FAO, or Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, â€Å"sixty-six percent of the emerging diseases in humans have animal origins and one or two new diseasesRead MoreThe Human Of Endangered Species1309 Words   |  6 Pagessources credited for the existence on Earth. The environment has provided the human race and Earth with the essentials needed and more for survival. Both living and nonliving things play a role in continuing the constant cycle that keeps e verything maintained and in order. When something as small as a plant or as large as a bear is taken from the cycle of life, there are major effects that occur and bring negative problems. Humans are most likely the ones to blame for endangering these species. But globalRead MoreEssay on Human Population Destroys the Environment: Any Questions?1930 Words   |  8 Pagesresources to survive. In the anecdote by Cohen, the accountant tells the boy that he is able to choose the sum of one plus one which accounts in this case to the limits that humans have on the resources. One plus one in this case is also the ratio of the specific supply of each resource per human being which cannot be accounted for. Humans have the potential to act for themselves in knowing how to balance out their needs. Every person on planet Earth needs space and resources to survive but as the population