Physiological Responses of Coral Reef Species to Emerging Threats of Anthropogenic Climate Change
Anthropogenic climate change is a threat to countless species and ecosystems around the world, including the coral reefs. Coral reefs provide habitat to thousands of species and play a large role in maintaining biological diversity. They are severely threatened by the rapidly changing climate, parti...
| Published in: | UTSC's Journal of Natural Sciences |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
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University of Toronto Scarborough
2021
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/jns/article/view/34665 https://doi.org/10.33137/jns.v2i1.34665 |
| Summary: | Anthropogenic climate change is a threat to countless species and ecosystems around the world, including the coral reefs. Coral reefs provide habitat to thousands of species and play a large role in maintaining biological diversity. They are severely threatened by the rapidly changing climate, particularly due to increasing sea surface temperatures and ocean acidification. Constant exposure to these environmental stressors can lead to bleaching and reduction in coral calcification rates, which can severely compromise the health and distribution of the coral reefs. This paper discusses new research on physiological responses of various organisms that make up the coral reefs, particularly coral and zooxanthellae species, to these threats. Research over the past decade has identified several species that are resilient in the face of climate change as well as areas that could serve as temporary refugia during this unprecedented situation. This research can be incorporated into current conservation practices for the development of conservation and restoration strategies to better protect the coral reefs. |
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