The Importance of Coral Reefs

By Fisher W.

We need to keep coral reefs! Coral reefs play a very  important role in the environment. They protect coastlines from erosion, feed low-income families near the coast, and sustain the food chain in the ocean.

Coral reefs play a very important role in protecting against flooding and erosion of coastlines in small islands and developing countries. This shows that if coral reefs die, many people could suffer more from floods or storms because the reef isn't there to form a barrier and protect the coastline.  According to NPR, over 14% of  coral reefs have been destroyed between  2008-2019. If we don’t stop that number from growing, then it could make a major impact on countries located close to sea level .  Save coral reefs!

Many communities in the world rely on coral reefs for fishing so their families can have food. According to Nature.com, over 1 billion people rely on coral reefs for food, but with sea temperatures rising, coral reefs are dying out along with the food they harbor. This shows that people who rely on coral reefs for food will have to find a new source of food. This is probably the most important problem. Millions of people would starve without coral reefs. Save coral reefs!

As we lose coral reefs, the food chain becomes negatively affected. According to the Coral Reef Alliance, 25% of marine life depends on coral reefs. This is how the coral reef food chain works: Tiny fish feed on the corals, bigger fish eat them, and then even bigger fish, like sharks, eat them. Without coral reefs most of these fish would die. Save the coral reefs!

All around the world coral reefs are dying because we humans are warming the ocean. Since 1971, the ocean has absorbed 90 percent of the excess heat added to the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels and other human activities, according to Woods Hole Oceanographic Organization. Please help me save coral reefs. If we don’t, the consequences will be huge. Save the coral reefs!