The Importance of Coral Reefs in Marine Ecosystems
According to (Walker, 2004), coral reefs are essential to the oceans in playing several ecological, economic and social roles. Labeled commonly as ‘ocean rainforests’, these ecosystems host a wide variety of marine life and are home to over one quarter of all marine species. They are important for sustaining the marine ecosystem by encouraging and supporting the rich biodiverse.
They also function as wave breakers and guards against coastlines from erosion and storms through dispassion of wave power. Economically, they are beneficia
l to the tourism and fishing secto
Tourists spent nearly $39 billion on scuba diving alone in 2014, and worldwide that industry reaps billions of dollars each year a
In the same year, there were nearly 14 million people employed in the fishing industry, demonstrating the economic impact those fish are experiencing stock losses due to climate change.
Also, the use of coral reefs is massive in the medical field because of their numerous possibilities for discoveries. A lot of marine species in reefs synthesise special product which are presently under research with regards to containing cure to cancer, pains and bacteria ailments.
But natural resources, particularly the coral reefs, are under pressure through climate change, pollution and over fishing as well as destructive fishing methods such as the use of dynamites. It should be noted that today the problem of preserving coral reefs as the basis of modern ecosystems, is one of the most urgent, and the preservation of these incredible formations can only be done by adhering to sustainable practices and taking active actions on climate change.
