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 Many hundreds of millions of people are dependent in some way on the goods and services provided by coral reefs, with over 100 million directly dependent on coral reefs for their survival.

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 Many hundreds of millions of people are dependent in some way on the goods and services provided by coral reefs, with over 100 million directly dependent on coral reefs for their survival.

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Degradation of coral reefs also greatly affects human communities that rely on them.

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Degradation of coral reefs also greatly affects human communities that rely on them.

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Attempts to put dollar values on the global costs of coral bleaching suggest that reef degradation from bleaching could cost from $20 billion

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Attempts to put dollar values on the global costs of coral bleaching suggest that reef degradation from bleaching could cost from $20 billion

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What is Coral Bleaching and What Causes It - Fight For Our Reef

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Coral bleaching is a global crisis, caused by increased ocean temperatures caused by carbon pollution and climate change.

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Coral bleaching and associated mortality not only have negative impacts on coral communities, but they also impact fish communities and the human communities that depend on coral reefs and associated fisheries for livelihoods and wellbeing.

Ecological impacts of coral bleaching and related mortality:

Bleached corals are likely to have reduced growth rates, decreased reproductive capacity, increased susceptibility to diseases and elevated mortality rates.

Changes in coral community composition can occur when more susceptible species are killed by bleaching events.

Changes in coral communities also affect the species that depend on them, such as the fish and invertebrates that rely on live coral for food, shelter, or recruitment habitat. Change in the abundance and composition of reef fish assemblages may occur when corals die as a result of coral bleaching.

Declines in genetic and species diversity may occur when corals die as a result of bleaching.

Socioeconomic impacts of coral bleaching and related mortality:

Degraded coral reefs are less able to provide the ecosystem services on which local human communities depend. For example, degraded reefs are less productive and may not be able to sustain accretion rates necessary to ensure reefs continue to provide shoreline protection services.

Reefs damaged by coral bleaching can quickly lose many of the features that underpin the aesthetic appeal that is fundamental to reef tourism. The resultant loss of revenue from reduced tourist activity can threaten the livelihoods of local communities.

Coral bleaching events that lead to significant coral mortality can drive large shifts in fish communities. This can translate into reduced catches for fishers targeting reef fish species, which in turn leads to impacts on food supply and associated economic activities.

Cultural values of many tropical island communities (e.g., religious sites and traditional uses of marine resources) depend upon healthy coral reef ecosystems and can be adversely affected by coral bleaching.

Coral reefs are a valuable source of pharmaceutical compounds. Degraded and dead reefs are less likely to serve as a source for important medicinal resources (i.e., drugs to treat heart disease, cancer, and other illnesses).

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Coral bleaching and associated mortality not only have negative impacts on coral communities, but they also impact fish communities and the human communities that depend on coral reefs and associated fisheries for livelihoods and wellbeing. Ecological impacts of coral bleaching and related mortality: Bleached corals are likely to have reduced growth rates, decreased reproductive capacity, increased susceptibility to diseases and elevated mortality rates.

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Land & Water Stories

Here are some simple, effective actions you can take to help save coral reefs and the fish, animals and plants that depend on them.

Maluku Islands Reef Scenic with Diver, Hard Corals, Reef fishes. © Jeff Yonover

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Want to help coral reefs? Here are some simple, effective actions you can take to help save coral reefs and the fish, animals and plants that depend on them.

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Coral bleaching is effecting EVERYONE

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Worldwide, reefs protect hundreds of millions of people living in coastal communities.

About the Video Clip

Duration: 3 minutes
Grade Level: Appropriate for all ages; content connects to NGSS standards for grades 5 and above

Humanity is connected to our oceans. Half a billion people rely on coral reefs for food and income. But reefs provide more than food. They also provide protection. Healthy reefs protect land from the damaging effects of tropical storms, shielding the shoreline from waves.

Readings: Coral Reef Ecosystem Services

Connections to the Next Generation Science Standards

While this video doesn't necessarily cover the following standards in depth, it is a compelling resource you can use to supplement your curriculum that does. Disciplinary Core Ideas

MS-ESS-2 How do coral reefs mitigate the effects of coastal flooding, a natural hazard?

HS-ESS-1 What evidence do you have for how coral reefs influence human activity? Speak to natural resources, the occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate.

HS-ESS2-2 How do Earth's surface processes and human activities affect each other? How does one change to Earth's surface create feedback that causes changes to other Earth systems?

Learn more about Phase 1 of the Academy's global initiative to research and restore coral reef ecosystems.

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Worldwide, reefs protect hundreds of millions of people living in coastal communities.

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Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet

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Vanishing Corals, Part Two: Climate Change is Stressing Corals, But There’s Hope – Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet

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Vital Signs of the Planet: Global Climate Change and Global Warming. Current news and data streams about global warming and climate change from NASA.

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Coral bleaching and associated mortality not only have negative impacts on coral communities, but they also impact fish communities and the human communities that depend on coral reefs and associated fisheries for livelihoods and wellbeing.

Ecological impacts of coral bleaching and related mortality:

Bleached corals are likely to have reduced growth rates, decreased reproductive capacity, increased susceptibility to diseases and elevated mortality rates.

Changes in coral community composition can occur when more susceptible species are killed by bleaching events.

Changes in coral communities also affect the species that depend on them, such as the fish and invertebrates that rely on live coral for food, shelter, or recruitment habitat. Change in the abundance and composition of reef fish assemblages may occur when corals die as a result of coral bleaching.

Declines in genetic and species diversity may occur when corals die as a result of bleaching.

Socioeconomic impacts of coral bleaching and related mortality:

Degraded coral reefs are less able to provide the ecosystem services on which local human communities depend. For example, degraded reefs are less productive and may not be able to sustain accretion rates necessary to ensure reefs continue to provide shoreline protection services.

Reefs damaged by coral bleaching can quickly lose many of the features that underpin the aesthetic appeal that is fundamental to reef tourism. The resultant loss of revenue from reduced tourist activity can threaten the livelihoods of local communities.

Coral bleaching events that lead to significant coral mortality can drive large shifts in fish communities. This can translate into reduced catches for fishers targeting reef fish species, which in turn leads to impacts on food supply and associated economic activities.

Cultural values of many tropical island communities (e.g., religious sites and traditional uses of marine resources) depend upon healthy coral reef ecosystems and can be adversely affected by coral bleaching.

Coral reefs are a valuable source of pharmaceutical compounds. Degraded and dead reefs are less likely to serve as a source for important medicinal resources (i.e., drugs to treat heart disease, cancer, and other illnesses).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Coral bleaching and associated mortality not only have negative impacts on coral communities, but they also impact fish communities and the human communities that depend on coral reefs and associated fisheries for livelihoods and wellbeing. Ecological impacts of coral bleaching and related mortality: Bleached corals are likely to have reduced growth rates, decreased reproductive capacity, increased susceptibility to diseases and elevated mortality rates.