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Vibrantly colored coral reefs are
complex and fragile ecosystems
that inhabit shallow tropical
waters.around the world. In the
United States, reefs can be fourid;
.off the coasts of •"Florida, Georgia,;.
Hawaii, and the:;tp:i|is-iana^f^§fg
•.border. Reefsja^^rfe'fex^nsiya^r
•Ll; S.%ater& off PUti|o-||cp^|i^;i
MiS. ytrgite Islands, ArhericarTtt|;5
SajTioa';'*Giiarri, and the Northern^-
iMariana islands;-'1 ."-.'• ;'..".- *v";
;; Corals are tiny animals, called polyps
that'live in colonies and build .'._
_ :massive.;skeletons that form reefs.,^
; TheiKcolors come from^plant-like ,;;
^organisms called "zooxanthellae" "
"that; live inside the corals and ^^
* provide them with energy frbmV' -
;phptosyri|:hesis. The; reef structilre';
serves;;as; habitat and provides food
;for;nearlyi;a million species pf fish;;V
and otherlfprrns igf marine: life, s.ucn7^
.as. spd;nggS,"soft corals,: urchins,; ;
rs (jarll^-a nd ;tu rtles^ma ki n g;cora IV .
^efs one^of the' world's most ..". .'
diverse"ecgsystems^;/:"-' ;":..-:
.-Coral reefs-also support multi- '. v\
billion dollar fishing arid tourism;;;
ndustries wjorldwide, an.d proteeiiV
-coasts from storm\darna;ge./l^ay^ /
:%Kese colorful underwater'c6t6nie1|u
face;severe risks!;from a"variety:-bf%=
threats ranging from pollutiphytoViS
global warming.;,;;; ; --;-" _ : '•"; ;s|?
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iNDffllffll CHANGE
Global warming and associated
climate changes are threatening
coral reefs by increasing average
ocean temperatures, causing a
rise in sea level, changing carbon
dioxide levels in the ocean, and
altering ocean circulation patterns.
In addition, continued climate
change may result in more frequent
and severe storms.
Warmer average seawater
temperature. Coral reefs generally
thrive in shallow, clear water
between 77 and 84°f (25-29°C).
Scientists project that global
warming could cause average sea
surface temperature to rise by
1.8-3.6°F (1-2°C) by 2100. Even a
slight change (0.5°F or 0.25°C) in
average temperature could exceed
the tolerance level of some coral
species and lead to an increase in
bleaching events.
Higher sea level. According to
the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change, global warming
will cause sea level to rise as much
as 34 inches by 2100. Although
the growth rates of healthy corals
will most likely keep up with this
rise in sea level, reefs weakened
by bleaching or other factors may
be unable to grow at a rate that
enables them to continue protect-
ing low-lying islands and the coast
Photo courtesy of Julie Bedford
Photo courtesy ofMarj Awai
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AND BLEACHING
v-
One of the threats to coral reefs is
a phenomenon called coral bleach-
ing, which is caused in part by
prolonged exposure to warmer-
than-normal water temperatures,
a potential consequence of climate
change. Although corals usually
rely on warm water for their sur-
vival, water that is too warm can
cause them to expel the zooxan-
thellae that they host. Without the
colorful zooxanthellae, the corals
appear white or "bleached." Since
zooxanthellae provide corals with
nutrients, their loss also can cause
the corals to starve. Sometimes
corals can recover from bleaching
and regain their zooxanthellae
populations. However, if the
stress is extreme or prolonged,
the corals will die. Without the
complex coral structure, loss of
other reef organisms soon follows.
To date, the reefs most severely
affected by coral bleaching are out-
side the United States. From 1995
to 2000, unprecedented catastrophic
bleaching occurred in some areas,
with deaths of nearly 95 percent
of reefs observed in Bahrain, the
Maldives, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and
Tanzania. During the same period,
severe bleaching with 50 to 70
percent mortality occurred in Belize,
Japan, Kenya, the Seychelles,
Thailand, and Vietnam. Severe
bleaching also has taken place,
although to a lesser extent, in the
Bahamas, Bermuda, Brazil, Easter
Island, Fiji, Florida, the Great
Barrier Reef, Mexico, Palau,
Panama, and the Philippines.
Photo courtesy ofMarj Awai
Photo courtesy of Bruce Carlson-
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~ V. t .. in
CLIMATE CHANGE
;^a:re ;cd n tri b uti o§; tp' a IT: i^rg|||;|fi
gase-|; ift '
jayerage ^s
ffl'i t rou s: ;JQfx;f de ;; is -ern itt|d ^frgfjl :
;;;agricUlturaL ;afid; i ndtigtriat tti^e
climate witL respond td^h|§i|if
-S tiirfa ee .' ajft |e "ra^era tit fes ; wt|jr|b^§"
^tifelA/ rise;;by?ln :ayerage;/pf fe5;i|Qi
jffgjph:': many: ecplpgiral;S:y|fems:::fnJ
|fiigratipri_; routes, a
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WHAT CAN WE DO?
Dramatic statistics on coral mortal-
ity prompted the United States to
develop an appropriate management
strategy to protect our nation's
coral reefs. In a major collabora-
tive effort, more than 10 federal
agencies, in cooperation.with
organizations in American Samoa,
Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands, Florida, Guam,
Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the
U.S. Virgin Islands, formed the Coral
Reef Task force. The task force maps
and monitors U.S. coral reefs and
researches the causes and solutions
to coral reef depletion. One way
the United States could have an
impact on coral reefs on an inter-
national scale would be to help
slow global warming.
Here are some ways for you to
help slow climate change:
H Inform yourself and others. For
more information on climate
change, visit EPA's Global.
Warming Site at
www.epa.gov/globalwarming.
H Encourage more research and
efforts to protect our nation's
coral reefs. If you work for an
organization that carries out
related scientific studies, sug-
gest including a climate change
component to the research.
H Reduce greenhouse gases. Use
a more fuel-efficient (or non-
motorized) mode of trans-
portation, carpopl, purchase
electronic devices and appli-
ances with the ENERGY STAR®
label, and plant trees.
Photo courtesy of Mat] Awai
Photo courtesy of Lillian Becker
and Thomas Howe
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-United1 States' :-""..:-•• -'.'-.'-.'
Environmental: Protection Agency
Office of Air and Radiation (6205J)
EPA-43D-F-D1-D24
December 2001
V"
Information-.about climate change
presented in this brochure was .
taken from studies conducted by
the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA);. Intergovernmental ;
Panel on Climate Change, and
the U.S. Global Change Research
Program. Information about coral
reefs and coral bleaching was taken
from studies conducted by the
World Conservation Union (IUGN),
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), and the/
National Wildlife. Federation (NWF).
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON
CLIMATE CHANGE AND CORAL
U.S.: ENVIRONMENTAL
, AvenQe,;:NW;
EPA's Coral Reef Protection Web Site
http://www.epa.gQv/owow/
oceans/coral/
Coral Reef Task Force; :. ,
http://cpralreef.gQv/
NWF's. ToraUeefs/and Climate \;'..
-Change:;last:Straw for a .-..;-
Threatened Ecosystem" ;, .'-
http://www.nwf.org/ctimate/ ,
coral index.htmt
•: ;,;;; -^-C-, The;IU£N;lWortd;VVide:Fund:for •
-:'.-"!*'--""^'.'"'"• -"-- Nature, U.S. Agency for International
INMENTAL . ." -' 'r •'.•'-
ArpNfY Development, Convention on '
and; Radiation :i:;Biological.DiveVsit/s booklet, ;.. --.
^x;-V:;;,-v;--:'\-::.:'/ ; "Managemehfcof^Blearhed and , ;
Ivam'a;; ;K ; ';;/.Severely';.piamaged;;Cprat;^eefs^-;;;-y.-v
•b£/?b466-: ^ " http://www.iuen.Qrg/places/ /
: ; ; ^sa/liierature.htmr; ;
- '^±'.~ Printed; on paper that contains
St least :30 percent post- ;
i consuijier 'fibferi.-- ' ;.- -.'.--•'/-
, Cater phoio/courtesy of Julie -Bedford' -
NOAA's Coral Jeef; Website.;.: U: -
http://www.cbratrejef.noaa.gov,
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