THE TROPICAL CORAL REEFS - UAB Barcelona › pub › tfg › 2014 › 119242 › TFG... · the...
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Local and Fisheries Overfishing of hervibores Destructive fishing Explosives Cianure Trawling More seaweeds THE TROPICAL CORAL REEFS The tropical coral reefs are global centers of biodiversity, and the most widely distributed reefs (Fig. 1). They are being degraded by several factors both direct human impacts such - Beatriz Marín Díaz – Biologia Ambiental – Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona - Excessive sedimentation anthropogenic pressures Climate Ocean temperatures increase Increase in tropical storms and hurricanes Rising sea level Coral bleaching Habitat destruction Trawling Coastal developement • Tourism, edification Contamination • Agricultural and industry spills TROPICAL CORAL REEF THREATS degraded by several factors, both direct human impacts such as climate change. Zooxanthellae Coral Aliment from photosynthesis, oxygen and calcification Nutrients and protection Coral species are long‐lived and slow growing, so damages are often important. Tropical region of western Atlantic Indo‐Pacific region Fig. 1. Distribution of tropical coral reefs [1] BIODIVERSITY Most diverse and complex communities of the planet, mainly fish and invertebrates ESTATE OF THE REEFS 2008 data [2] : 19% of the original area is lost 15% are in critical state 20% are threatened 46% are recovering or in good state INTERACTION BETWEEN THREATS AND EFFECTS Climate global change CO 2 increase Coral bleaching Coral diseases Ocean acidification Population increase ( ff ll) Decrease fish population Hunger Sedimentation 46% are recovering or in good state 2011 data [3] : 25‐30% of world coral reef have been degraded • Include between 1/3 and 1/4 of the marine species. • Some studies report that this biodiversity is being underestimated. • Almost 1/3 of coral species are endangered. (affects all) Algae cover Fisheries Global climate change Temperature increase CO 2 increase Increase of oceans temperatures Tropical storms Increase of sea level Coral bleaching Diseases, plagues Ocean acidification Overfishing Habitat destruction Contamination Coastal erosion Overfishing of herbivore fish Destructive fisheries Chemical contamination, agricultural spills Coral predators Synchronized reproduction Mt i lf Coastal protection Local and antrophic pressures Tourism 2 acidification Biodiversity Coastal development Medical and biochemical research CO 2 uptake Commercial extraction Reef area Changes in structure, Settlement of epibionts and algae Base of the food chain Threats to other ecosystems and populations Materialfor construction Bioactive compounds Community organizations of people Coastal protection Examples of disappeared species in some tropical reefs: Ophiuroids Ricordea florida Importance of the EFFECTS of the DEGRADATION Employment Changes in structure, composition, and abundance of the communities Direct effects Reduction of reef area Since 1950 tropical reefs have lost more than 19% of its area. Changes in structure, composition, and abundance of the communities of coral reef Reef ecosystems will be replaced by ecosystems with less Loss of biodiversity 33% of coral reef species are endangered. ¼ of the marine species depend on coral reef, so if reefs disappear, they will be also Sea snakes Crinoids Fisheries Decrease of abundance and diversity of commercial species of coral reef fishes. *12‐14% of world fisheries are linked to coral reefs. Loss of tourism recreation and Reef ecosystems will be replaced by ecosystems with less biodiversity and less productivity. Reefs that remain will be stronger but less attractive. affected. Damage or destruction of coral colonies causes epibiont and algae settlement More lose of reef area Indirect effects: Alteration of the Effects on population (goods and services affected) Reefs are a source of income, food and coastal protection for over 500 million people worldwide and more than 100 million people depend economically on these. Conclusions Currently we have enough data to assume that there is a real effect both on global level and ecosystem level (ex. goods and services). To make decisions about how to handle this matter properly, we should do a better monitoring of the situation to obtain good data. Two major problems for face the recuperation: Hunger More overfishing Coral reef have resisted increases in temperature and pH increases Corals are resilient and can recover even slowly but now Loss of bioactive compounds Many species are used in medical and biochemical research. It won't be possible to discover new possible compounds. Loss of tourism, recreation and associations of people Economic losses (hotels, diving centers, commerce, jewelry). Loss of people associations that offer goods and services to tourists and improved the wellbeing of the community. Problem: This activities also cause degradation of coral reef. Reduction of coastal protection Against tsunamis, erosive processes, tidal waves, etc. If the CO 2 emissions continue this way, it is expected that by the end of the century: carbon balance Degraded reef Less sink of CO 2 Climate change could increase Bibliography: [1]: Cole, S. (2006). NASA Coral Reef Images Key to New Global Survey. Goddard Space Flight Center. NASA. [2]:Wilkinson, C. (2008). Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2008. Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network and Reef and Rainforest Research Centre, Townsville, Australia. [3]: Palumni, S., Richmond, R., Hughes, T. (2012). Consensus Statement on Climate Change and Coral Reefs. 12th International Coral Reef Symposium. Previsions for the future Malaria Anticancerigens HIV Bactericidals *Coral reef are capable of absorbing more CO 2 than rainforests temperature and pH increases separately, but not both factors together. recover even slowly , but now, the damages are occurring too fast. Surface temperatures of the ocean: ↑2‐3ºC Sea level: ↑1,7m ↓pH of the oceans: 8,1 7,9 Frequency of tropical storms will increase More degradation and by 2050 all reef endangered
Transcript of THE TROPICAL CORAL REEFS - UAB Barcelona › pub › tfg › 2014 › 119242 › TFG... · the...
Local and
Fisheries
Overfishingof hervibores
Destructivefishing
ExplosivesCianureTrawling
More seaweedsTHE TROPICAL CORAL REEFS
The tropical coral reefs are global centers of biodiversity, andthe most widely distributed reefs (Fig. 1). They are beingdegraded by several factors both direct human impacts such
- Beatriz Marín Díaz – Biologia Ambiental – Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona -
Excessivesedimentation
anthropogenic pressures
Climate
Oceantemperatures
increase
Increase in tropical storms and hurricanes
Rising sea level
Coral bleaching
Habitatdestruction
Trawling
Coastal developement
• Tourism, edification
Contamination
• Agricultural and industry spillsTROPICAL CORAL REEF
THREATS
degraded by several factors, both direct human impacts suchas climate change.
Zooxanthellae Coral
Aliment from photosynthesis, oxygen and calcification
Nutrients and protection
Coral species are long‐lived and slow growing, so damagesare often important.
Tropical region of western Atlantic
Indo‐Pacific region
Fig. 1. Distribution of tropical coral reefs [1]
BIODIVERSITY
Most diverse and complex communities of the planet,mainly fish and invertebrates
ESTATE OF THE REEFS
2008 data [2]:
19% of the original area is lost 15% are in critical state 20% are threatened 46% are recovering or in good state
INTERACTION BETWEEN THREATS AND EFFECTS
Climate global change
CO2
increase
Coral bleaching
Coral diseases
Ocean acidification
Population increase
( ff ll)
Decrease fish population
Hunger
Sedimentation
46% are recovering or in good state
2011 data [3]:
25‐30% of world coral reef have been degraded
• Include between 1/3 and 1/4 of themarine species.
• Some studies report that this biodiversity is beingunderestimated.
• Almost 1/3 of coral species are endangered.
(affects all)
Algae cover
Fisheries
Global climate change
Temperature increase
CO2 increase
Increase of oceans temperatures
Tropical storms
Increase of sea level
Coral bleaching
Diseases, plagues
Ocean acidification
Overfishing
Habitat destruction
Contamination
Coastal erosionOverfishing of herbivore fish
Destructive fisheries
Chemical contamination, agricultural spills
Coral predators
Synchronized reproduction
M t i l f Coastal protection
Local and antrophicpressures
Tourism
2 acidification
BiodiversityCoastal development
Medical and biochemical research
CO2 uptakeCommercial extraction
Reef area
Changes in structure,
Settlement of epibionts and algae
Base of the food chain
Threats to other ecosystems and populations
Material for construction
Bioactive compounds
Community organizations of
people
Coastal protection
Examples of disappeared species in some tropical reefs:
Ophiuroids Ricordea florida
Importance of the EFFECTS of the DEGRADATION
Employment
Changes in structure, composition, and abundance of
the communities
Direct effectsReduction of reef area
Since 1950 tropical reefs have lost more than 19% of its area.
Changes in structure, composition, and abundance of the communities of coral reef
Reef ecosystems will be replaced by ecosystems with less
Loss of biodiversity
33% of coral reef species are endangered.¼ of the marine species depend on coral reef, so if reefs disappear, they will be also
Sea snakes Crinoids
Fisheries
Decrease of abundance and diversity ofcommercial species of coral reef fishes.
*12‐14% of world fisheries are linked to coral reefs.
Loss of tourism recreation and
Reef ecosystems will be replaced by ecosystems with less biodiversity and less productivity. Reefs that remain will be
stronger but less attractive.
affected.
Damage or destruction ofcoral colonies causes
epibiont and algaesettlement
More lose of reef area
Indirect effects:
Alteration of the
Effects on population (goods and services affected)
Reefs are a source of income, food and coastalprotection for over 500 million peopleworldwide and more than 100 million peopledepend economically on these.
ConclusionsCurrently we have enough data to assume that there is a real effect both onglobal level and ecosystem level (ex. goods and services). To make decisionsabout how to handle this matter properly, we should do a better monitoringof the situation to obtain good data.
Twomajor problems for face the recuperation:HungerMore overfishing
Coral reef have resisted increases intemperature and pH increases
Corals are resilient and canrecover even slowly but now
Loss of bioactive compounds
Many species are used inmedicaland biochemical research.It won't be possible to discover newpossible compounds.
Loss of tourism, recreation and associations of people
Economic losses (hotels, divingcenters, commerce, jewelry). Lossof people associations that offergoods and services to tourists andimproved the wellbeing of thecommunity.
Problem: This activities also causedegradation of coral reef.
Reduction of coastal protection
Against tsunamis, erosive processes, tidal waves, etc.
If the CO2 emissions continue this way, it is expected that by the end of the century:
carbon balance
Degraded reef
Less sink of CO2
Climate change could increase
Bibliography: [1]: Cole, S. (2006). NASA Coral Reef Images Key to New Global Survey. Goddard Space Flight Center. NASA. [2]:Wilkinson, C. (2008). Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2008. Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network and Reef and Rainforest Research Centre, Townsville, Australia. [3]: Palumni, S., Richmond, R., Hughes, T. (2012). Consensus Statement on Climate Change and Coral Reefs. 12th International Coral Reef Symposium.
Previsions for the future
Malaria
Anticancerigens
HIV
Bactericidals
*Coral reef are capable ofabsorbing more CO2 thanrainforests
temperature and pH increasesseparately, but not both factorstogether.
recover even slowly, but now,the damages are occurring toofast.
Surface temperatures of the ocean: ↑2‐3ºCSea level: ↑1,7m
↓pH of the oceans: 8,1 7,9 Frequency of tropical storms will increase
More degradation and by 2050 all reef endangered
