Climate Fact: Coral Crisis
Just seaward of the Florida keys lies a 130 mile long coral reef that extends from Miami to the Dry Tortugas. This reef provides habitat for over 5,500 marine species and buffers Florida and the Keys from storm surges. A combination of rising ocean temperatures, increases in ocean acidity, and runoff from farms and developments, however, is contributing to widespread declines in the world’s coral populations. In just the last fifty years, 30 percent of the world’s coral reefs have died and another 30 percent have been severely damaged. Some researchers estimate that within 25 years, 60 percent of the coral that is alive today will perish.
Seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
(Source: Probasco, Mat. “Researchers Warn About Coral Reef Deaths.” The Associated Press 24 October 2006, and United States. Environmental Protection Agency. Climate Change, Wildlife, and Wildlands: A Toolkit for Teachers and Interpreters. Washington: GPO, 2000.)
