Grand Challenges — Coral Reef Deterioration in the Florida Keys
Coral Reefs are the backbone (both literally and metaphorically) of many of the world’s undersea ecosystems, as approximately a quarter of all marine species take refuge in these reef structures (Goldberg). While they are homes to thousands of species of marine life, each reef is a living, breathing entity in itself— organs of the ocean’s vast body that nurture the millions of lives within it and those on land that depend on it. However, these organs are being destroyed at an alarming rate and may be gone for good by 2100 if no change is made (UNESCO).
The Florida Reef is the sole living coral reef ecosystem in the continental United States and the third largest in the world, stretching over 350 miles from the Dry Tortugas to the St. Lucie Inlet. It’s home to over 80 different coral species and over 70 marine sponge species that have suffered due to pollution, overfishing, physical destruction, climate change, and coral harvesting, decreasing the reefs by over 50% of its size from 2014 to 2015 (FDEP). While there are multiple reefs spread throughout the world, our team has chosen to focus on the Florida Reef as a representation of coral reefs as a larger whole due to the consistent causes for deterioration between them.
The reef is not only home to hundreds of species, but is also apart of the Floridian cultural identity and economy. It sustains much of the state’s tourism-heavy economy by contributing a hefty $375 billion per year worth of related goods and services and 70,400 full and part-time jobs (NOAA). Additionally, the Keys are largely renowned for the incredible species that inhabit its waters, making the reef one of the main attractions. The continuous damage to the reefs will result in equal damage to the unique Floridian identity and the industries that rely on it.
The factor that is exacerbating the damage at the fastest rate is humans. Tourists and fishers are often careless around it; divers often abandon their gear or stand atop the corals — some people even remove them from their colonies. Overfishing has contributed to much of the destruction of the reef’s marine life. The use of longlines and gillnets removes fish in quantities that are larger than what the ocean can produce, disrupting the intricate symbiotic relationships between the corals and fish, specifically by remove the ecosystem’s apex predators. Dangerous fishing practices such as blast fishing — using explosives to kill fish — can inadvertently destroy the corals as well (EPA). Furthermore, boat drivers unaware of their surroundings often sink their anchor into corals, destroying them and the life that relies on them.
Corporations also play a role in coral reef deterioration. Dumping waste and sewage pollutes waters and kills marine life. Although organic sewage adds nutrients to the waters, it also fosters the growth of oxygen-consuming microbes that may feed on corals (Dubinsky and Stambler). The most deadly type of corporate pollution comes from oil spills — specifically the Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The oil floats down to the ocean floor and coats the corals, causing tissue loss and breakage (Smithsonian). The process of removing oil from the ocean takes multiple years that the corals can’t afford — some corals are hundreds of years old and cannot recover fast enough from repeated oil spills.
While humans have sped up the process, the reefs are most affected by climate change. The phenomena known as coral bleaching occurs when increased stress causes corals to expel the algae attached to it. Because algae and corals depend on each other mutually, the coral is left vulnerable when the algae is dispersed. This occurs mainly due to an increase in water temperatures and overexposure to sunlight, but also occurs due to dumping and pollution (NOAA). Bleaching directly caused the loss of over 50% of the US’s coral reefs in the Caribbean in 2005 as a result of increased thermal stress — more than the previous 20 years combined. Reefs across the globe may see a consistent increase in bleaching if climate change can’t be occurred, as NASA’s data shows a consistent upwards trend in average temperature through the past century (NASA).
In addition to the widespread bleaching in 2005, the Stony Coral Tissue Disease (SCTD) outbreak in 2014 targeted reefs specifically in the Florida-Caribbean region. Though the exact cause of the disease is unknown, it is believed to be spread through a pathogen that is transmitted by ocean currents, making it extremely deadly to colonies that live in close proximity to each other. Since 2014, SCTD has spread to other parts of the Floridian Reef, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, and Belize (NOAA).
Though mankind grows its presence, it lessens that of the other species we live among. If humanity progresses in the ways it is most comfortable, the coral reefs and the immensely diverse marine population are certain to die out — the ocean’s organs will cease to function, leaving her vulnerable. It is obvious that a change must be made to protect the rich array of life that inhabits earth’s coral reef ecosystems and balance beneath the waters.
For more information, see the following sources (in the order they appear in the article):
