Authors
Rohit Vishwakarma
Abstract
Coral reefs are structures that are biogenic in nature, it often contributes to the seaward section of tropical shorelines, and it usually buffers the coast from wave action and erosion. Almost 600 species of calcifying corals contribute to the nature by being habitat of thousands of tropical fishes and algae. These structures have existed from past 500 million years. In this study an evaluation had been made on the various factors that have been effecting life of coral reefs and giving rise to oceanic pollution. Unfortunately the growth of the industries are leading to the end of healthy oceanic ecosystem, one can claim that the coral reefs has become one of the most endangered species of the ocean, it has been found that twenty per cent of reefs has been disappeared from earths face in just forty years. Keywords: Oceanic Pollution, Coral Reef, Bleaching.
Introduction
Coral reefs are thought to be a significant natural resource that is found in tropical waters all over the world. (Spalding et al. 2001). Coral reefs are important as a national and international community not only this, it holds great importance to neighboring coastal communities as well. They also contribute in different ways to production of ocean and provide other substantial benefits interconnected to their role in leisure industry, recreation and as indicators for climate change and waste treatment.
Coral reefs are known to be the maximum producer of biological goods and diverse ecosystems of the world, it is also found to be land to thousands and lakhs of different species, out which only one tenth have been identified (Birkeland 1997)
Authors believe that the degradation of coral reefs are due to the reckless nature of humans, it houses several variant species of marine ecology.
Coral reefs grow in clean and clear water, let’s say it is their need in order to survive and when human made pollution such as sediments and other pollutant enter the water, they suffocate coral reefs, and hamper the speed of growth hence damaging the algae, which only take down the water quality. Due to pollution corals become more vulnerable to diseases and it can directly affect the reproduction and growth of the same which eventually changes the food structure of the reef.
Types of Coral Reefs
Coral reef are divided into four broad classes naming:
• Fringing Reefs
• Barrier Reefs
• Atolls
• Patch Reefs
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| APA Style | Vishwakarma, R. (2019). Effect of Contaminants on Coral Reefs – A Study on Oceanic Species. Academic Journal of Ocean Sciences, 1(1), 7-14. |
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