Florida Coral Reefs in Deeper Peril (near death)

Coral reefs all over the world are in great peril, but coral reefs in Florida are suffering and near death, according to John Ogden, director of the Florida Institute of Oceanography, professor of biology at the University of South Florida (http://www.marine.usf.edu/FIO/) and co-author of a study published in the Mar. 18 issue of SCIENCE. The decline of coral reefs worldwide is not just an aesthetic issue but a serious environmental and economic issue, he said.

“Coral reefs can provide ecosystem goods and services worth more than $375 billion to the global economy each year,” Ogden said. “Yet, our most degraded reefs are little more than rubble, seaweed and slime. Water quality is awful and almost no large animals survive.”

<snip>

Australians, said Ogeden, are proud of their Great Barrier Reef, and long ago took they steps to prevent over fishing by making one third of the reef a “no take zone” and enacting laws and policies with regard to pollution.

“Closer to home,” said Ogden, “the Bahamas and Cuba, resource-challenged nations, have committed to conserving more than 20 percent of their coral reef ecosystem.”

http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/510512/

Sorry I had to comment on that.

Priorities Priorities

I just finished reading about the doubled budget for the tax cuts for the rich and the death of the Florida coral reef and the fact we have dropped over 400 bombs on Iraq in the last year, and then come to DU and all the discussion is about the Freeper divisive Schiavo issue.

I had to finally find out what was really going on. I have an opinion now.

Of all the odd parts of this is that it HASN'T been an issue amongst libs as far as I can tell only an issue for the RW to turn into a wedge issue and to distract with. It really is getting to be like South Park.

That being said the reef dying is by far much more serious and much more important.

the "reefs" in the marine park were a joke- totally destroyed.

to do good diving you had to go to dive shops that had mapped out their own dive sites and quality reefs.

i can only imagine how much worse it's gotten since then.

I hadn't go out to Pennekamp in about 20 years. The difference was unreal and this area is 'protected'. I can't imagine what other places must look like.

it seems like damage from way too many boneheaded divers.

the best dives are definitely outside pennekamp.

Polluted run off?:shrug:

I heard a show on global warming a few years ago on NPR's Science Friday. The reefs flourish within a fairly narrow temperature range--not too hot and definitely not too cold. If the water temp rises beyond that range the reefs will die. This guy was saying (and this was about 3 yrs ago at least) that the reefs would be one of the first things to go if global warming continued unabated.

Since I live in Florida I paid a lot of attention to that particular show.

Because with Global warming comes Ice melting which leads to Rising Oceans.

The disappearing (melting) Ice caps are one of the key problems. The additional fresh water not only changes salinity Locally, but also changes the flow of the ocean current, that changes the weather, then everyones in trouble. :scared:

about 25-30 miles from the coast.

You might be O.K. if your house was built to the 1990's Hurricane Code. I think 20 feet or more elevation shouldn't be effected normally:smoke:

if...WHEN- the greenland ice sheet melts, the ocean rises 25 ft.- and florida will pretty much cease to exist.

The Map says it's 109ft above Sea Level. At that point, Disney World will be right near the Beach!:think:

too many divers who don't know how to dive.
if you touch the coral, it dies.

putting it mildly.... I was down there 20 years ago last, myself. It's like a bad dream to imagine things are as you say...Wish it were a dream

My first time. It'll be interesting to compare them with the reefs I've seen in Mexico and the Caribbean.

There's a reef just offshore at Playa Del Carmen. I was there around 20 years ago before the area was built up. Diver's who'd payed big pesos for trips out of Cozumel said that this was a better reef than the ones the dive boats went to. Apparently all the really popular reefs there are dead too.

I'm sure it's destroyed by now. The area has seen a big tourist boom and sadly, people seem to destroy the thing they love.

And once the the fish start to disappear to the point of our Government notices, it'll be too late.

Here's a cool Satellite Image site, where I think you can actually see the reefs.

...thanks for the pic

Most of the buildings in the Keys use septic systems and all that waste is leaking out to the reefs resulting in eutrophication. They need tertiary water treatment plants but Jebbie would never agree to spend that amount of money to protect the reefs. Even the heavily protected reefs can't be protected against the nutrient input from land.

If not, it might make it worse.:shrug:

the southern half of florida...the everglades- is a giant natural water treatment plant.

Let's see - cripping deficit - check!

rich get richer - check!

poor and children suffer - check!

ruin ANWR - check!

keep global warming on track - check!

tell people how to think - check!

and now

destroy environment - check!!

You thought the tsunami was bad? Nothing on what she's probably got planned if we don't stop raping her.

In a way, oh well. Maybe we don't deserve any more chances.

but, I have a 75 gallon saltwater reef aquarium in my home. I purchase ONLY aquacultured corals & fish that were not plucked from the ocean. Sure its a little more expensive, but I do not want one day to think, hey, my hobby could've killed an entire reef.

On that note, I have to keep my tank at a steady 82 degrees. Any further, my corals and fish both get pretty flamed up. Also, any chemicals that possibly could get into the tank - windex, furniture polish, CAN wipe out the entire tank within hours. One little overspray of windex can kill everything...

Not to mention, if one cigarette butt gets in there, everything will be dead as well.

I know what I have is a rather closed system reef, but imagine chemicals, such as copper, which will kill off any coral and some fish almost immediately, being leeched into the ocean. Copper in itself can kill the reefs, but I highly doubt its JUST copper.

Over harvesting for the aquarium use is grossly under-rated. I am one of the MANY who have a reef aquaria, and probably one of the FEW who only select aquacultured livestock. This is a very expensive hobby, and the people in the business selling these, make a killing.

Go to any saltwater site and look at the going prices of corals and fish. Big money making industry for them.