Nuked Reef

[ShawnMMcKenna]

I am by no means an environmentalist, but I just read an article from nature conservancy magazine on rebuilding reefs from the autumn 2010 issue and there was a picture in the article that really bothered me. It was a picture taken on the ocean floor of what was once a thriving reef that now looks like the surface of the moon; like someone dropped a nuke on it. A lone staghorn coral was in the center of the picture, and there were a couple small corals here and there, but for the most part it was completely destroyed. I would be sick if my small nano reef was lost, it is unfathomable that such widespread disaster could take place in the ocean. Just something to think about.....

 

[Mitchell0605]

Worldwide rising ocean temps causes it. The problem with the warmer water is it has:
Less oxygen and less nutrients. So things go hungry.

 

[ShawnMMcKenna]

What doesnt make sense is the ocean temps seem to be getting lower. I live right on the gulf coast, and we have been rescueing sea turtles from the gulf due to the water being too cold. We took them to a local commercial aquarium, hundreds of them. What you are saying makes sense, but like I say, rescueing turtles from the cold water? Something doesnt add up. I am more concerned about commercial fertilizers and the algae blooms they would inevitably cause..... I guess there is no one answer....but that horible picture haunts me.....

 

[TraceyB4602]

One documentary I've seen had said that in 30 years, the earliest, all the reefs will be gone! Our environment is really bad all around the world. It's like we don't care about our earth. Global warming I believe plays a big role and now the oil spill ruining the gulf. I think it's just sad what we have done to this earth. Someone needs to start caring who can actually change things or we won't have an earth to live on.

Imagine if the reefs disappeared. You know how many creatures that would effect, while it trickles down the food chain? It would trickle all the way to humans.

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