Coral Reefs: A Dying Philippine Treasure

How our actions affect corals, the effects of coral reef destruction, and the state of the Philippine coral population

By Lauren Garcia

Graphic by Madison Granda

From the whale sharks of Cebu to the sea cows of Palawan, the Philippines is highly recognized as the center of marine biodiversity. This is because the country is located in the Coral Triangle, an area with more species of fish and corals than any other marine environment on Earth. By serving as food, homes, and protection, more than 10,000 square miles of Philippine coral reefs support over 900 species of reef fish and 400 species of hard coral wherein 12 species are unique to the area.

Coral reefs not only play a role in the marine ecosystem, but in the Filipino ecosystem and economic development as well. They help protect the Philippines’s coastlines from erosions, tropical cyclones, and other large impacts. Because of their geomorphology, or the shape, reefs act as a buffer to cause waves to break offshore. In addition, coral reefs draw an aesthetic to the Philippine waters with a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes, thus attracting foreigners to the country and playing a huge role in Philippine tourism. Though the medicinal use of coral reefs is considered underdeveloped, coral reefs are still valuable to the pharmaceutical industry as they hold the feasibility of being sources to treat cancer, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, and other serious illnesses. This is because plants and animals that live in reefs have developed chemical compounds to protect themselves against predators, fight diseases, and prevent the excessive growth of competing organisms. Most importantly, coral reefs provide food security and livelihood to millions of Filipinos, which is estimated at US$1 billion annually to the economy.

Unfortunately, a 2017 study by Dr. Licuanan — a biology professor and marine biologist from De La Salle University — revealed that out of the 166 reef stations that were surveyed, more than 90% of the Philippines’s coral reefs were rated poor (cover in the area is 0% to 25%) and fair (cover in the area is 25% to 50%). The study concluded that in the past 20 years, a third of the corals in the country has been lost. Globally, approximately 75% of coral reefs are currently under jeopardy due to a number of threats.

As a result of climate change, sea temperatures are on the rise. The high temperatures forces corals to expel algae — the food that corals feed on. Once temperatures exceed 32 C, coral bleaching occurs — it is when coral turns into a white color and loses energy because of the loss of algae.

With the Philippines being the third largest contributor in the world to ocean pollution, the country is surrounded by islands of garbage that have piled up for years. Loads of plastic, sewage, and trash float on the ocean, thus blocking the necessary sunlight from reaching the coral reefs. The plastics that sink down abrade corals by tearing open the skin of the coral which invites infections, pathogens, and diseases to enter. To add, coral reefs are stagnant animals. Their food source is small organic matter that surrounds them, more specifically a variety of plankton. The plastic in the ocean breaks down into tinier fragments called microbeads, having a similar look and shape to plankton. In return, coral reefs mistakenly eat microplastics and the bacteria that comes with them. Once coral reefs lose a tissue as an effect of coral disease, the tissue cannot grow back and the disease will only keep proliferating. For a fresh coral to grow, floating coral larvae would have to attach themselves to rocks or other hard surfaces and grow on their own, which takes thousands of years.

Another pollutant that ends up in the ocean is sedimentation. Sedimentation, from mines, loggers, and farms that operate close to coast lines, tend to fall into the rivers. From the rivers, they follow into the oceans and precludes sunlight from reaching the coral reefs. Mangrove forests normally trap the sediments, but they are in critical condition today as well, making matters worse. You can learn more about mangroves here.

Large amounts of fish are fished out every day as it supports the livelihood of people. However, when too much fish are fished out, the balance of the ocean’s ecosystem is disrupted. Coral reefs have a symbiotic relationship with many marine species to live in an equilibrium. For example, parrotfish are being overfished in the Philippines to supply the high demand in Filipino cuisine. Many Filipinos don’t realize the importance of parrotfish. The diet of the parrotfish consists of algae and dead corals off of coral reefs. Then, the food is excreted into coral sand which eventually replaces the sand particles that are washed off along beaches.

In spite of the dying coral reefs, there could be a silver lining. Though the big picture may look bad, the reefs that were monitored from Dr. Licuanan’s study were recovering. According to Dr. Licuanan, “Monitoring allows us to see warning signs, it allows us to detect stressors and in both cases, monitoring allows us to do something rather than just lament [over] what we have lost.” Dr. Licuanan stated that monitoring is crucial in maintaining and helping reefs recover, but few marine biologists, universities, and professionals of the like in the country are doing so. Furthermore, universities tend to monitor coral reefs for research only. When the research stops, so does the monitoring, leading to the destruction of the reefs.

What can anyone do to support the coral reefs besides being a marine biologist? At home, one can conserve his/her water usage by taking shorter showers and not leaving faucets running to reduce wastewater from entering the ocean. Carbon footprints — the total amount of greenhouse gases used to support human activities — can also be minimized to decelerate climate change. Common greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. These nonrenewable sources are used on a daily basis by millions of people to power needs such as air conditioners, computers, cars, and lights. The gases are released into the atmosphere after use and the atmosphere reflects the heat energy from the gases back to Earth. The higher the concentration of greenhouse gases, the warmer the Earth will be. Simple alternatives like switching to LED lights, unplugging devices when they are not in use, or carpooling can be done to decrease one’s carbon footprint.

For those who love going to the beach, it is recommended to use ocean-friendly sunscreen that avoids toxic ingredients to the marine life such as Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), Methylparaben, Oxybenzone, and Octinoxate. Divers or snorkelers can contribute by simply not touching the coral reefs. Touching or playing with the reefs can cause sediments to pile up and suffocate the reefs. If one has the time, one can volunteer to clean up beaches. This slows down the build-up of physical trash, bacteria, and toxins in the waters and the marine ecosystem.

Above all, anyone can help by spreading the word. Educating the world about coral reefs molds awareness, leads people to make smarter decisions, and takes the issues into action. Coral reefs benefit the people when they are protected. When they are not, the people will be affected. Today, the conservation of coral reefs is more crucial than ever. The lives of coral reefs won’t be saved by just training more marine biologists and professionals of the like. As Dr. Licuanan states, “It is making marine biologists of anyone who cares to listen or, ideally, everybody who is made to listen.”

References:

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