GEOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Coral reefs are under relentless stress from myriad global and local issues, including climate change, declining water quality, overfishing, pollution and unsustainable coastal development.

Detailed explanation-2: -Once coral reefs die, they are gone for the foreseeable future, and due to their incredible importance as hotspots of marine biodiversity, the loss extends far beyond the reach of the ecosystem itself. Tropical fish populations decrease – nearly half the fish that the world depends on come from coral reefs.

Detailed explanation-3: -The threats to corals More than 75% of all coral reefs on the planet are currently threatened by a combination of stressors including climate change, overfishing and destructive fishing, coastal development, pollution and damage.

Detailed explanation-4: -The top threats to coral reefs-global climate change, unsustainable fishing and land-based pollution-are all due to human activities. These threats, combined with others such as tropical storms, disease outbreaks, vessel damage, marine debris and invasive species, exacerbate each other.

Detailed explanation-5: -This is called coral bleaching. When a coral bleaches, it is not dead. Corals can survive a bleaching event, but they are under more stress and are subject to mortality. In 2005, the U.S. lost half of its coral reefs in the Caribbean in one year due to a massive bleaching event.