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3 main causes for coral bleaching Primary cause = high water temperature - increase of 1.5˚ - 2˚ for 6 to 8 weeks = can trigger bleaching - same increase › 8 weeks = corals begin to die - affects reefs at regional to global scale (global warming huge cause) - severe and wide spread bleaching can occur known as mass-bleaching event Disease - usually at local scale - Infectious bacteria attacking the symbiotic algae. One such agent has been later identified as Vibrio shiloi. - The pathogen is infectious only during warm periods; therefore, global warming would increase the occurrence of conditions that promote the spread of infection. Pollutants - usually at local scale - Chemical runoff (fertilizers, industrial waste etc.) into the water can cause the coral to expel the algae.
What else can I help you with?
What does bleaching of coral reefs mean?
Coral reef bleaching is the result of the die-off of certain coral. Coral reef bleaching is the whitening of diverse invertebrate taxa. Coral reef bleaching is caused by various anthropogenic and natural variations in the reef environment including sea temperature, solar irradiance, sedimentation, xenobiotics, subaerial exposure, inorganic nutrients, freshwater dilution, and epizootics.
Why is coral bleaching important?
it kills bacteria
What is choral bleaching?
This is a bit misleading because the word "coral" is misspelled "choral." Coral bleaching kills living coral organisms and is very prevalent in parts of the Carribbean. The coral appears pale white (or "bleached") instead of its normal gray-green-brown hues. Coral heads are actually made up of thousands of tiny, living organisms. Coral bleaching kills the coral and produces the white, bleached appearance. The coral can recover; however, it takes many, many years for coral to grow to a sizeable mass. Coral bleaching often kills the entire coral colony. Global warming is thought to contribute to coral bleaching: the problem in the Carribbean has worsened with just a one- or two-degree increase in water temperature.
What happens when the temperature rises above 100 in the coral reef?
It dies, coral bleaching.
Is the Great Barrier Reef suffering from coral bleaching?
Yes.
What are the advantages of bleach?
I am not aware that any scientist considers coral bleaching to be advantageous; bleaching indicates the death of symbiotic algae within the coral, leading to the death of the coral itself, leading to a greatly reduced oceanic biodiversity, which is a bad thing.
Is coral bleaching abiotic or biotic?
um no algae is biotic because it is a plant um no algae is biotic because it is a plant
What is the prime culprit that produces coral bleaching?
The main culprit of coral bleaching is elevated sea temperatures caused by climate change. When corals are stressed by high temperatures, they expel the algae living in their tissues, causing the coral to turn white and potentially die if the stress is prolonged.
What made the carbon cycle is leading to coral bleaching?
Elevated levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are causing ocean temperatures to rise and oceans to become more acidic. This leads to coral bleaching by putting stress on coral reefs, which rely on a delicate balance of temperature and acidity to survive. Additionally, coral bleaching can also be triggered by pollution, overfishing, and other human activities that disrupt the natural carbon cycle.
Can reefs recover from coral bleaching?
no the can't poison sticks to them and cannot come off
What are the advantages of coral bleaching?
coral bleaching is the loss of symbiotic 'algae' known as zooxanthellae (actually, they're dinoflagellates) in stressful environmental conditions, such as warmer than normal water temperatures and UV stress from the sun, or even pollutants. These 'algae' provide the coral with 90% of it's nutrition which it uses for growth and reproduction. If the corals are unable to regain their zooxanthellae, they will slowly starve and lose the ability to compete with other organisms for space on the reef. Algae frequently overgrow the weakened corals which subsequently die. Some corals, such as plating corals, have fragile skeletons and crumble into rubble when the coral dies. If a coral is not growing, it is eroding by ocean processes, and loses the complex structure that provided a home for all of the other reef organisims. No reef, no fish.
What animals eat coral reefs and how does their consumption impact the reef ecosystem?
Certain animals that eat coral reefs include parrotfish, sea urchins, and crown-of-thorns starfish. Their consumption can impact the reef ecosystem by causing coral bleaching, reduced coral growth, and overall degradation of the reef structure. This can lead to a decline in biodiversity and disrupt the balance of the ecosystem.
