Coral Crisis

Many thousands of species call Coral Reefs home~
Picture credit: underwater universe


Yesterday on WUCF, our local PBS Channel, there was an excellent dual story about Coral Reefs and the depressing decline of them worldwide and also one about the alarming situation with Oysters.
Coral Reefs are one of the most threatened and most in peril of all the world's ecosystems and the future does not look good, unless, we step in and do what is necessary to stop what may soon become complete decimation.
Renowned Australian Scientist, Marine Ecologist, Dr. Katharina Fabricius and her team have worked tirelessly for many years studying the negative impacts of various factors on Coral Reefs and Marine Life around the Globe and the program yesterday was dedicated to their work.
Living here in the Sunshine State, we are blessed with the ability to take a short drive down to the Keys and see our very own Coral Reefs in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
But the pleasure of the seeing the immense beauty of Coral Reefs, may be short-lived for all of us.
I can feel Al Gore breathing down my neck, as I write this, but one fact taught in my Geology Classes, was that the Earth has repeatedly, over millions of years, chilled and warmed since its inception.
However, our very bad habits are speeding things up right now.
Yes, we Humans are quite to blame for many of these changes in Global Marine Life and Coral Reefs, as well as other bodies of water and threatened wildlife.
The current impact of Global Warming, whether our Governor, or anyone else in Government or politics, wants to admit, believe, or deny it, is affecting everything that lives, grows and swims in our Global Seas.
And yes, we are causing and are to blame, for a great deal of this.
We Humans use pesticides, poisons and chemicals everywhere, without a thought as to what they will do to all living things, including us!
Rivers, streams, lakes and oceans are being murdered and are dying a slow painful death, due to our ongoing ignorance, greed and stupidity.
We cannot continue our evil ways and expect that the planet will just deal with it.
Our planet and entirely too many living things on it, especially our Coral Reefs, are in crisis mode.
We made this mess, now we need to clean it up.

Places to learn more:
Coral Reefs
Florida’s Coral Reefs
Coral reef fish danger – Blue Planet – BBC Environment
CORAL REEFS – POLYPS IN PERIL
Coral reefs and climate change: A message for Copenhagen
Ocean acidification 
Oceans of Acid: How Fossil Fuels Could Destroy Marine Ecosystems
Elements in the Ocean
Acid tests for corals
New Study Warns Warmer, Acidic Oceans Will Kill Coral Reefs
The Australian Institute of Marine Science
Coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef