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online access fun thousands children great kids ebooks books

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Instantly access Coral Reefs Matter plus over 40,000 of the best books & videos for kids.

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online access fun thousands children great kids ebooks books

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Instantly access BBC Life: Coral Reef plus over 40,000 of the best books & videos for kids.

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Read Animal Engineers: Coral Reefs on Epic

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online access fun thousands children great kids ebooks books

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Read Animal Engineers: Coral Reefs on Epic

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Instantly access Animal Engineers: Coral Reefs plus over 40,000 of the best books & videos for kids.

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Read Coral Reefs (New & Updated Edition) on Epic

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online access fun thousands children great kids ebooks books

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Read Coral Reefs (New & Updated Edition) on Epic

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Instantly access Coral Reefs (New & Updated Edition) plus over 40,000 of the best books & videos for kids.

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Watch Jonathan Bird's Blue World: Coral Reefs on Epic

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online access fun thousands children great kids ebooks books

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Watch Jonathan Bird's Blue World: Coral Reefs on Epic

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Instantly access Jonathan Bird's Blue World: Coral Reefs plus over 40,000 of the best books & videos for kids.

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Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet

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NASA is an expert in climate and Earth science. While its role is not to set climate policy or prescribe particular responses or solutions to climate change, its job does include providing the scientific data needed to understand climate change. NASA then makes this information available to the global community - the public, policy-, and decision-makers and scientific and planning agencies around the world. (For more information, see NASA's role.)

With that said, NASA takes sustainability very seriously. NASA's sustainability policy is to execute its mission as efficiently as possible. In doing so, we continually improve our space and ground operations.

Sustainability involves taking action now to protect the environment for both current and future living conditions. In implementing sustainability practices, NASA supports its missions by reducing risks to the environment and our communities.

In executing its mission, NASA's sustainability objectives are to:

increase energy efficiency;

increase the use of renewable energy;

measure, report, and reduce NASA's direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions;

conserve and protect water resources through efficiency, reuse, and stormwater management;

eliminate waste, prevent pollution, and increase recycling;

leverage agency acquisitions to foster markets for sustainable technologies and environmentally preferable materials, products, and services;

design, construct, maintain, and operate high-performance sustainable buildings;

utilize power management options and reduce the number of agency data centers;

support economic growth and livability of the communities where NASA conducts business;

evaluate agency climate change risks and vulnerabilities and develop mitigation and adaptation measures to manage both the short-and long-term effects of climate change on the agency's mission and operations;

raise employee awareness and encourage each individual in the NASA community to apply the concepts of sustainability to every aspect of their daily work to achieve these goals;

maintain compliance with all applicable federal, state, local or territorial law and regulations related to energy security, a healthy environment, and environmentally-sound operations; and

comply with internal NASA requirements and agreements with other entities.

For more information on NASA's numerous plans to upgrade infrastructure, reduce energy intensity, and decrease water use, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2021/on-a-changing-planet-nasa-goes-green https://www.sustainability.gov/nasa.html https://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/about/sustainability/index.html https://www.nasa.gov/emd/sustainable-acquisition https://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/about/sustainability/index.html https://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/greenspace/nasas-role.html#green%20aviation
The following selected resources from U.S. government organizations provide information about options for responding to climate change.

Data and Information

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national aeronautics and space administration

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NASA Global Climate Change: Sustainability and Government Resources

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An overview of NASA's role in sustainability and selected resources from U.S. government organizations that provide information about options for responding to climate change.

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Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet

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Our Trajectory

Earth Will Continue to Warm and the Effects Will Be Profound

The potential future effects of global climate change include more frequent wildfires, longer periods of drought in some regions, and an increase in the wind intensity and rainfall from tropical cyclones. Credit: left - Mike McMillan/USFS, center - Tomas Castelazo / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0, right - NASA.

Global climate change is not a future problem. Changes to Earth's climate driven by increased human emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases are already having widespread effects on the environment: glaciers and ice sheets are shrinking, river and lake ice is breaking up earlier, plant and animal geographic ranges are shifting, and plants and trees are blooming sooner.

Effects that scientists had long predicted would result from global climate change are now occurring, such as sea ice loss, accelerated sea level rise, and longer, more intense heat waves.

" The magnitude and rate of climate change and associated risks depend strongly on near-term mitigation and adaptation actions, and projected adverse impacts and related losses and damages escalate with every increment of global warming."

- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Some changes (such as droughts, wildfires, and extreme rainfall) are happening faster than scientists previously assessed. In fact, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) - the United Nations body established to assess the science related to climate change - modern humans have never before seen the observed changes in our global climate, and some of these changes are irreversible over the next hundreds to thousands of years.

Scientists have high confidence that global temperatures will continue to rise for many decades, mainly due to greenhouse gases produced by human activities.

A Degree of Difference

So, the Earth's average temperature has increased about 2 degrees Fahrenheit during the 20th century. What's the big deal?

Read more

The IPCC's Sixth Assessment report, published in 2021, found that human emissions of heat-trapping gases have already warmed the climate by nearly 2 degrees Fahrenheit (1.1 degrees Celsius) since 1850-1900. The global average temperature is expected to reach or exceed 1.5 degrees C (about 3 degrees F) within the next few decades. These changes will affect all regions of Earth.

What's the difference between climate change and global warming?

"Global warming" refers to the long-term warming of the planet. "Climate change" encompasses global warming, but refers to the broader range of changes that are happening to our planet, including rising sea levels; shrinking mountain glaciers; accelerating ice melt in Greenland, Antarctica and the Arctic; and shifts in flower/plant blooming times.

detailed answer

The severity of effects caused by climate change will depend on the path of future human activities. More greenhouse gas emissions will lead to more climate extremes and widespread damaging effects across our planet. However, those future effects depend on the total amount of carbon dioxide we emit. So, if we can reduce emissions, we may avoid some of the worst effects.

" The scientific evidence is unequivocal: climate change is a threat to human wellbeing and the health of the planet. Any further delay in concerted global action will miss the brief, rapidly closing window to secure a liveable future." ²

- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Future Effects in the U.S.

U.S. Regional Effects

U.S. Regional Effects

Climate change is bringing different types of challenges to each region of the country. Some of the current and future impacts are summarized below. These findings are from the Third and Fourth National Climate Assessment Reports, released by the U.S. Global Change Research Program.

Is it too late to prevent climate change?

Humans have caused major climate changes to happen already, and we have set in motion more changes still. However, if we stopped emitting greenhouse gases today, the rise in global temperatures would begin to flatten within a few years. Temperatures would then plateau but remain well-elevated for many, many centuries.

detailed answer

Northeast. Heat waves, heavy downpours, and sea level rise pose increasing challenges to many aspects of life in the Northeast. Infrastructure, agriculture, fisheries, and ecosystems will be increasingly compromised. Farmers can explore new crop options, but these adaptations are not cost- or risk-free. Moreover, adaptive capacity, which varies throughout the region, could be overwhelmed by a changing climate. Many states and cities are beginning to incorporate climate change into their planning.

Northwest. Changes in the timing of peak flows in rivers and streams are reducing water supplies and worsening competing demands for water. Sea level rise, erosion, flooding, risks to infrastructure, and increasing ocean acidity pose major threats. Increasing wildfire incidence and severity, heat waves, insect outbreaks, and tree diseases are causing widespread forest die-off.

Southeast. Sea level rise poses widespread and continuing threats to the region's economy and environment. Extreme heat will affect health, energy, agriculture, and more. Decreased water availability will have economic and environmental impacts.

Midwest. Extreme heat, heavy downpours, and flooding will affect infrastructure, health, agriculture, forestry, transportation, air and water quality, and more. Climate change will also worsen a range of risks to the Great Lakes.

Southwest. Climate change has caused increased heat, drought, and insect outbreaks. In turn, these changes have made wildfires more numerous and severe. The warming climate has also caused a decline in water supplies, reduced agricultural yields, and triggered heat-related health impacts in cities. In coastal areas, flooding and erosion are additional concerns.

References
References
Header image shows cracked mud stretches across sections of the Panamint Valley. Credit: NPS/Kurt Moses; A degree of concern thermometer image credit: Pixabay/geralt

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intergovernmental panel on climate change

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Vital Signs of the Planet: Global Climate Change and Global Warming. Long-term effects of global climate change in the United States.

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Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet

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The Greenhouse Effect

Increasing Greenhouses Gases Are Warming the Planet

Scientists attribute the global warming trend observed since the mid-20 th century to the human expansion of the "greenhouse effect" ¹ - warming that results when the atmosphere traps heat radiating from Earth toward space.

Life on Earth depends on energy coming from the Sun. About half the light energy reaching Earth's atmosphere passes through the air and clouds to the surface, where it is absorbed and radiated in the form of infrared heat. About 90% of this heat is then absorbed by greenhouse gases and re-radiated, slowing heat loss to space.

Gases that Contribute

The Role of Humans

Human Activity Is the Cause of Increased Greenhouse Gas Concentrations

Over the last century, burning of fossil fuels like coal and oil has increased the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO ₂). This increase happens because the coal or oil burning process combines carbon with oxygen in the air to make CO ₂. To a lesser extent, clearing of land for agriculture, industry, and other human activities has increased concentrations of greenhouse gases.

How do we know what greenhouse gas and temperature levels were in the distant past?

Ice cores are scientists' best source for historical climate data. Other tools for learning about Earth's ancient atmosphere include growth rings in trees, which keep a rough record of each growing season's temperature, moisture and cloudiness going back about 2,000 years. Corals also form growth rings that provide information about temperature and nutrients in the tropical ocean. Other proxies, such as benthic cores, extend our knowledge of past climate back about a billion years.

detailed answer

The industrial activities that our modern civilization depends upon have raised atmospheric carbon dioxide levels by nearly 50% since 1750 ². This increase is due to human activities, because scientists can see a distinctive isotopic fingerprint in the atmosphere.

In its Sixth Assessment Report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, composed of scientific experts from countries all over the world, concluded thatit is unequivocal that the increase of CO ₂, methane, and nitrous oxide in the atmosphere over the industrial era is the result of human activities and that human influence is the principal driver of many changes observed across the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere and biosphere.

"Since systematic scientific assessments began in the 1970s, the influence of human activity on the warming of the climate system has evolved from theory to established fact."

- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

The panel's AR6 Working Group I (WGI) Summary for Policymakers report is online at https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/.

Is the Sun to Blame?

Evidence Shows That Current Global Warming Cannot Be Explained by Solar Irradiance

Scientists use a metric called Total Solar Irradiance (TSI) to measure the changes in energy the Earth receives from the Sun. TSI incorporates the 11-year solar cycle and solar flares/storms from the Sun's surface.

Studies show that solar variability has played a role in past climate changes. For example, a decrease in solar activity coupled with increased volcanic activity helped trigger the Little Ice Age.

The above graph compares global surface temperature changes (red line) and the Sun's energy that Earth receives (yellow line) in watts (units of energy) per square meter since 1880. The lighter/thinner lines show the yearly levels while the heavier/thicker lines show the 11-year average trends. Eleven-year averages are used to reduce the year-to-year natural noise in the data, making the underlying trends more obvious.

The amount of solar energy that Earth receives has followed the Sun's natural 11-year cycle of small ups and downs with no net increase since 1880. Over the same period, global temperature has risen markedly. It is therefore extremely unlikely that the Sun has caused the observed global temperature warming trend over the past half-century. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

But several lines of evidence show that current global warming cannot be explained by changes in energy from the Sun:

Since 1750, the average amount of energy from the Sun either remained constant or decreased slightly³.

If a more active Sun caused the warming, scientists would expect warmer temperatures in all layers of the atmosphere. Instead, they have observed a cooling in the upper atmosphere and a warming at the surface and lower parts of the atmosphere. That's because greenhouse gases are slowing heat loss from the lower atmosphere.

Climate models that include solar irradiance changes can't reproduce the observed temperature trend over the past century or more without including a rise in greenhouse gases.
References
References

1. IPCC 6 th Assessment Report, WG1, Summary for Policy Makers, Sections A, " The Current State of the Climate "

IPCC 6 th Assessment Report, WG1, Technical Summary, Sections TS.1.2, TS.2.1 and TS.3.1

2. P. Friedlingstein, et al., 2022: "Global Carbon Budget 2022", Earth System Science Data ( 11 Nov 2022): 4811-4900. https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-4811-2022

3. IPCC 6 th Assessment Report, WG1, Chapter 2, Section 2.2.1, " Solar and Orbital Forcing"

IPCC 6 th Assessment Report, WG1, Chapter 7, Sections 7.3.4.4, 7.3.5.2, Figure 7.6, " Solar"

M. Lockwood and W.T. Ball, Placing limits on long-term variations in quiet-Sun irradiance and their contribution to total solar irradiance and solar radiative forcing of climate," Proceedings of the Royal Society A, 476, issue 2228 (24 June 2020): https://doi 10.1098/rspa.2020.0077

Header image credit: Pixabay/stevepb

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Vital Signs of the Planet: Global Climate Change and Global Warming. What is the "greenhouse effect"? What is causing it? Are humans to blame? What does solar irradiance have to do with it? Answers here.

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Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet

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The rate of change since the mid-20th century is unprecedented over millennia.

Earth's climate has changed throughout history. Just in the last 800,000 years, there have been eight cycles of ice ages and warmer periods, with the end of the last ice age about 11,700 years ago marking the beginning of the modern climate era - and of human civilization. Most of these climate changes are attributed to very small variations in Earth's orbit that change the amount of solar energy our planet receives.

This graph, based on the comparison of atmospheric samples contained in ice cores and more recent direct measurements, provides evidence that atmospheric CO2 has increased since the Industrial Revolution. (Credit: Luthi, D., et al.. 2008; Etheridge, D.M., et al. 2010; Vostok ice core data/J.R. Petit et al.; NOAA Mauna Loa CO2 record.) Find out more about ice cores (external site).

The current warming trend is different because it is clearly the result of human activities since the mid-1800s, and is proceeding at a rate not seen over many recent millennia. It is undeniable that human activities have produced the atmospheric gases that have trapped more of the Sun's energy in the Earth system. This extra energy has warmed the atmosphere, ocean, and land, and widespread and rapid changes in the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere, and biosphere have occurred.

Do scientists agree on climate change?

Yes, the vast majority of actively publishing climate scientists - 97 percent - agree that humans are causing global warming and climate change.

detailed answer

Earth-orbiting satellites and new technologies have helped scientists see the big picture, collecting many different types of information about our planet and its climate all over the world. These data, collected over many years, reveal the signs and patterns of a changing climate.

Scientists demonstrated the heat-trapping nature of carbon dioxide and other gases in the mid-19th century. Many of the science instruments NASA uses to study our climate focus on how these gases affect the movement of infrared radiation through the atmosphere. From the measured impacts of increases in these gases, there is no question that increased greenhouse gas levels warm Earth in response.

"Scientific evidence for warming of the climate system is unequivocal."

- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Ice cores drawn from Greenland, Antarctica, and tropical mountain glaciers show that Earth's climate responds to changes in greenhouse gas levels. Ancient evidence can also be found in tree rings, ocean sediments, coral reefs, and layers of sedimentary rocks. This ancient, or paleoclimate, evidence reveals that current warming is occurring roughly 10 times faster than the average rate of warming after an ice age. Carbon dioxide from human activities is increasing about 250 times faster than it did from natural sources after the last Ice Age.

References

References
Header image shows clouds imitating mountains as the sun sets after midnight as seen from Denali's backcountry Unit 13 on June 14, 2019. Credit: NPS/Emily Mesner

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Climate Change Evidence: How Do We Know?

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Vital Signs of the Planet: Global Climate Change and Global Warming. How do we know it's happening? Here's the evidence.

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Learn how technology helps conserve the coral reef ecosystem

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The decline in coral reefs causes major problems. Coral reefs make up only 0.2% of our ocean however they are home to over 25% of marine fish species and other organisms. They play many roles including protection of shorelines from major storms. The loss of coral reefs can disrupt many other ecosystems in and around the ocean.

Although the destruction of coral reefs have been caused by human activity, it is also humans that are saving these systems and finding solutions using technological advancements. Scientists from all over are exploring different technologies aimed at protecting coral reef ecosystems.

EXAMPLES INCLUDE:

1. UNDERWATER ROBOTS THAT MIMIC OCEAN LIFE

Underwater robots may be a key in helping us understand coral reef systems. Underwater robots were recently developed by researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego. This new tool can offer a new way to study ocean currents as well as the creatures that are in the ocean. Right now the goal of these underwater robots is to use them to help answer questions about the most abundant form of life in the ocean: plankton.

The researchers at Scripps have designed and built these underwater explorers to study small scale environmental processes that are taking place in the ocean. These robots include probes that are equipped with temperature and other sensors to measure ocean conditions by swimming up and down or by maintaining a constant depth. These small robots could potentially be deployed in the hundreds to thousands to capture a multi-dimensional view of the interactions between the physical ocean and marine life.

During a study using these robots, scientists wanted to test theories behind how plankton form dense patches under the ocean surface, which then later leads them to rise to the surface as red tides. These robots were the perfect way to mimic the underwater swimming behavior of plankton and examine the organisms' movements with the ocean currents.

This was the first time that a mechanism like this has ever been tested underwater. The biggest advancement is that these small robots are made inexpensively and are able to be tracked continuously underwater. What this means is that these robots could potentially be used as a small army and be deployed in a swarm. This swarm-sensing approach opens up a new world of ocean exploration. These small, low cost robots with cameras would allow for the photographic mapping of things such as corals. This technique could be huge in identifying the problem as well as seeing the effects of coral bleaching in almost real time.

You can check out the video and experiment that went along with this study HERE

2. ELECTRICAL BIOROCK STIMULATES CORAL GROWTH

To help preserve and restore coral, scientists are using an innovative technology called biorock. Biorock is a piece of technology that has a low-voltage direct current which is run through steel. This electricity can then interact with minerals in the seawater and cause solid limestone to grow on the structure. It uses the same principles as electrolysis, where the electric current causes a chemical reaction to occur that wouldn't normally happen. Coral fragments from other reefs can than be translocated to the biorock structure where they can grow due to the natural mineral crystals that were formed.

This type of technology is being used as conservation measures for coral reefs. This is because this type of technology can speed up the normal processes of coral growth. When a diver sees an injured coral they can move them to these structures so that they can continue to grow and heal. The coral then have 50% greater chance of survival then they had before. Biorocks have also helped fish and lobster populations, especially juveniles who shelter in the structures.

" Biorock Stimulation" by Ultra Kulture

3. 3D MAPPING AND BATHYMETRY TO MONITOR REEFS

Coral reef mapping and monitoring have helped scientists gather data on these habitats. With this technique scientists can collection biological, socioeconomic and climatic data needed to evaluate the conditions of the coral reefs and the surrounding area.

Monitoring operations include the National Coral Reef Monitoring Program ( NCRMP), a new integrated and monitoring effort that will provide a precise picture of the U.S. coral reefs condition. To learn more about the NCRMP click here.

Mapping underwater coral reefs with 3D mapping allows volunteers and researchers to spend more time studying fish and invertebrates in water, while still getting the data needed from the reef. Cameras are used to take a multitude of underwater images and specialized software is used to analyze those images. More precise numeric data can be obtained with this technology. Before the use of technology such values could only be estimated by expert divers. Another advantage of this technology is its non-invasiveness, allowing the study of an environment in the office with less stressful field operations and coral extractions. The ease of repetitive surveys will make an amazing database for following coral reef changes over time, with the possibility to quantify all changes in near-real-time.

4. 3D PRINTED CORAL ENCOURAGES REEF RESTORATION

3D Printing Could Potentially Save our Coral Reefs: Check out this video showing the work being done to create artificial reefs

" 3D-Printing Creates Artificial Coral Reefs" by Youtube under CC by 2.0

As coral reefs are declining at fast rates, scientists are struggling to find effective and innovative ways to save them. One of the new ways they are doing this is by 3D printing. 3D printing has become a common way to construct many things such as human organs. 3D printing of portions of reefs can replace lost pieces of coral. These "fake" reefs are thought to be less vulnerable to climate change and more resilient to changing environmental conditions. Scientists are using 3D printing technology that helps them to create fake reefs to mimic the texture and structure of the natural reefs in an effort for restoration.

These experimental 3D printed reefs have already been implemented in the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, the Persian Gulf, and Australia. If they succeed, it will allow for new habitat for fish, but also baby coral polyps to attach themselves and multiply to grow into new reefs.

" 3D Printed Coral Reefs" by Popularscience

Artificial reefs have also been used to provide habitat and act as an ecosystem by mimicking a coral reef. They have been made of sunken shipwrecks, plastic, concrete blocks, old tires, and old cars-all heaped onto the ocean floor in hopes that fish and other marine life will come to call them home. However, many of these reefs fail because they do not fit in. A 3D printed reef is a better option since it can recreate the small spaces needed to protect the species that live in the community, it can act as a passageway and door. It can also provide angles that cast light or shades in a certain directions enabling fish to avoid predation. Since this technology is so new there are still so many questions behind it like how well will they actually work? How sustainable are these structures? Can they withstand harsh storms?

As the years go on scientists will be able to determine the effectiveness of these structures. This technology is a step in the right direction to trying to find alternative ways to save coral reefs.

The information in this chapter in thanks to content contributions from Haley Zanga.

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A Student's Guide to Tropical Marine Biology

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The decline in coral reefs causes major problems. Coral reefs make up only 0.2% of our ocean however they are home to over 25% of marine fish species and other organisms. They play many roles including protection of shorelines from major storms. The loss of coral reefs can disrupt many other ecosystems in and around the ocean.

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Find out what is currently being done. Is there something missing you wish was there?

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identify such actions;

use their programs and authorities to protect and enhance coral reef ecosystems; and

ensure that any actions they authorize, fund, or carry out will not degrade the condition of coral reef ecosystems.

EPA protects coral reefs by implementing Clean Water Act programs that protect water quality in watersheds and coastal zones of coral reef areas. EPA also supports efforts to monitor and assess the condition of U.S. coral reefs, and conducts research into the causes of coral reef deterioration. EPA is developing tools to help adapt coral reefs to better handle changing conditions. Much of EPA's work to protect coral reefs is conducted in partnership with other federal agencies, states, and territories. For example, EPA is an active member of the interagency U.S. Coral Reef Task Force.

Clean Water Act and Coral Reefs

EPA strategically applies its Clean Water Act (CWA) regulatory and non-regulatory programs to reduce land-based sources of pollution that degrade coastal waters and coral reefs that live in them. Improving coral reef health by addressing local stressors will enhance their natural resilience. EPA:

Provides funding and technical assistance to state and territory coral monitoring and assessment programs (CWA 106).

Targets nonpoint source (CWA 319) funds to implement water quality improvement projects in watersheds that discharge into coral reef locations.

Works with states to improve the environmental protections provided by National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System sewer and stormwater management permits (CWA 402).

Works with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to avoid and minimize impacts to coral reefs from discharges of dredged or fill material avoid and minimize impacts to coral reefs, and to provide compensatory mitigation for unavoidable impacts (CWA 404; see also Coral Reef Guidance: 1999 Memorandum to the Field).

Supports derivation and adoption (by states) of water quality standards to increase protection of corals. Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), EPA consults with NOAA to ensure that new/revised criteria are fully protective of ESA-listed coral species and their critical habitats.

Supports the development of biological assessment methods and biological criteria for states, tribes, and territories to use in evaluating the health of coral reefs and associated water quality.

Works to reduce trash from entering coastal waters through EPA's Trash-Free Waters program.

Ensures that dredging and ocean disposal of dredged material is conducted in a manner that does not adversely impact coral reefs (CWA 403 criteria).

Works with the Coast Guard to regulate the transportation of municipal and commercial waste on vessels and to issue regulations for the manufacture, maintenance, and efficiency of marine sanitation devices (boat toilets), as well as the establishment of "no discharge zones" for vessel sewage (CWA 312).

Recent Products

This paper, representing a collaboration between US EPA, US Coast Guard, and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, discusses the current state of knowledge about vessel ballast water as a potential mode of transmission of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) and provides a framework for future research in this area.

The purpose of this document is to illustrate how the Recovery Potential Screening (RPS) Tool can be set up to evaluate and compare watersheds for sediment and nutrient runoff into coral reef ecosystems. This document helps set up the tool, select appropriate indicators for evaluating where conditions promote the likelihood of sediment and nutrient runoff, and interpret the outputs for purposes of prioritizing management activities.

U.S. Coral Reef Task Force

EPA is actively engaged in the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF). The USCRTF was established by Executive Order 13089 to lead U.S. efforts to preserve and protect coral reef ecosystems. It is instrumental in building partnerships and strategies for on-the-ground action to conserve coral reefs. The USCRTF is co-chaired by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Department of the Interior with regular participation from twelve federal agencies, seven states and territories, and three freely associated states.

EPA chairs and participates on several USCRTF working groups, including the Climate Change and Ocean Acidification Working Group, Enforcement Working Group, and the Watershed Partnership Initiative Working Group. Recent products of these working groups that EPA helped to develop include:

EPA Resource Guide for Managers of Coastal Watersheds with Coral Reefs

The EPA Resource Guide for Managers of Coastal Watersheds with Coral Reefs provides a general overview of the most relevant EPA programs and tools that can help watershed managers address land-based sources of pollution that impact coral reefs. The guide is intended primarily for watershed managers that participate in the USCRTF, but may serve as a useful resource for others.

Corals and Climate Adaptation Planning (CCAP) Adaptation Design Tool and User's Guide

The Corals and Climate Adaptation Design Tool can be used by coral reef managers to incorporate climate-smart design into their programs and projects at any stage of planning and implementation. The tool has been used with partners in Guánica Bay, Puerto Rico and West Maui, Hawai'i.

Handbook on Coral Reef Impacts: Avoidance, Minimization, Compensatory Mitigation, and Restoration

This Handbook on Coral Reef Impacts provides a review of the federal authorities, existing policies, and federal, state, and territory roles and responsibilities; a compendium of current best practices-science-based methodologies for quantifying ecosystem functions or services; and a general overview of basic protocols available for use when assessing impacts to coral reef ecosystems and mitigating or restoring for unavoidable impacts to coral reef ecosystems, including the use of appropriate compensatory action to replace the lost functions and services.

USCRTF Watershed Partnership Initiative Priority Ecosystem Indicators

The (56 pp, 1.5 MB, USCRTF Watershed Partnership Initiative Priority Ecosystem Indicators document (PDF)About PDF)provides coastal managers, coral reef managers, and watershed coordinators faced with modest budgets a suite of recommended ecological indicators and measurements to include in their watershed-specific monitoring plans. The recommended ecological indicators and measurements help determine the efficacy and evaluate the success of management efforts to reduce land-based sources of pollution on coral reef ecosystems.

USCRTF Watershed Partnership Initiative Programmatic Checklist

A user-friendly (6 pp, 575 K, programmatic checklist (PDF)About PDF)developed to help managers and watershed coordinators identify programmatic needs for the successful implementation of a ridge to reef watershed management plan.

International Coral Reef Initiative

The U.S. Federal Government is a member of the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI),a partnership between Nations and organizations which strives to preserve coral reefs and related ecosystems around the world. ICRI has declared 2018 as the third International Year of the Reef (IYOR).IYOR is a global effort to build awareness and understanding of coral reef ecosystems to support conservation, research, and management.

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What EPA is Doing to Protect Coral Reefs | US EPA

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identify such actions; use their programs and authorities to protect and enhance coral reef ecosystems; and ensure that any actions they authorize, fund, or carry out will not degrade the condition of coral reef ecosystems. EPA protects coral reefs by implementing Clean Water Act programs that protect water quality in watersheds and coastal zones of coral reef areas.

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Check out these fun facts!!!!

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Patagonia and other adventure travel destinations

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Coral reefs are some of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet. Contrary to what many people assume, coral aren't plants - they're animals. A coral reef is composed of thousands of soft-bodied animals called coral polyps that collect layers of calcium carbonate over time. These environments attract a multitude of other plants and animals, including a vast variety of brightly colored tropical fish. Not only are these structures incredibly beautiful, but they are also crucial to the survival of life on Earth. In this article, you can discover ten more fun facts about coral reefs.

1. Coral reefs protect wildlife

'Barrier' reefs get their name because they protect shallow warm waters from the open sea. This protection creates an important habitat for many types of tropical fish and rare plants.

2. There are three different types of coral reef

Coral reefs can be divided into three types: fringing reefs, barrier reefs, and atolls. Fringing reefs are close to shore, whereas a barrier reef will lie further out to sea. Often, atolls will be mistaken for islands because they are so large and generally appear on the rim of a lagoon.

3. Coral needs sunlight to grow

Coral needs sunlight to grow, which is why they thrive in shallow water. As a result, you're unlikely to find a coral reef deeper than 45 feet. Furthermore, they also tend to prefer tropical seas, as the sea water is warmer and clearer.

4. Large reefs are thousands of years old

Large, visible reefs like the Great Barrier Reef in Australia are between 5,000 and 10,000 years old. Over time, the Great Barrier Reef has grown to include 900 smaller reefs and cover 2,600 miles crossing 500 islands.

5. Coral reefs make the sea bed more stable

Coral reefs improve the structural integrity of the sea bed. This is because they encourage the growth of seagrasses and other sea plants. The more plant life there is on the sea bed, the better it is held together. This reduces the impact of storms and tidal surges, preventing the erosion of the shoreline.

6. They also clean the water

Coral reefs also promote better water quality. The plants, animals, and organisms act as a filter, trapping debris that makes the surrounding environment cleaner. Subsequently, coral reefs tend to grow larger in areas with stronger currents as the wave patterns deliver more nourishment to the ecosystem.

7. Reefs are important nesting grounds

The calm, warm waters around coral reefs mean they are an important mating habitat for fish and other sea creatures. These protected environments create a safe-haven for eggs, keeping them safe from predators. Furthermore, the abundance of seagrass makes coral reefs important nurseries for marine mammals like dugongs.

8. The algae on a coral reef is an animal

The algae that usually covers the surface of coral isn't a plant, it's a living organism. There are many different types of algae, from microscopic creatures to varieties with brightly-colored leaf-like tendrils. Furthermore, a microscopic variety of algae called Benthic Diatoms contribute a significant proportion to a reef's dense biomass.

9. Coral reefs can treat cancer

Scientists have discovered that organisms within coral reefs can be used to treat cancer and other illnesses. For example, by studying coral reefs, scientists have been able to develop proteins that attack cancer cells.

10. Reefs can help to manage global warming

The last of our fun facts about coral reefs concerns their vital role in managing the planet's carbon dioxide levels. As a giant, living, breathing organism, they are essential to regulating carbon dioxide levels in the ocean. Therefore, these ecosystems play an important role in managing the effects of global warming.

Enjoyed these fun facts about coral reefs? Find out how you can protect these precious ecosystems

Although coral reefs help to manage the effects of global warming, they are under serious threat as a result of rising carbon dioxide levels. Excessive carbon dioxide produced by burning fossil fuels is dissolving into the ocean, causing the acidity of the sea to rise. This process seriously damages coral reefs, destroying the habitats of thousands of fish, plants, and mammals. Therefore, it is critical that we do our bit to reduce our impact on the environment. If you liked these fun facts about coral reefs, you can get involved in protecting these precious environments. For more information, take a look at The Coral Reef Alliance website.

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Coral reefs are some of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet. Contrary to what many people assume, coral aren't plants - they're animals. A coral reef is composed of thousands of soft-bodied animals called coral polyps that collect layers of calcium carbonate over time.

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Let's learn about Coral Reefs!

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What are coral reefs! This video will help us understand!

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Coral Reefs for Kids | Learn about the 3 types of coral reefs Fringe, Barrier and Atoll