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RESEARCH TOPIC: The effects of climate change on coral reef ecosystems

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RESEARCH TOPIC: The effects of climate change on coral reef ecosystems
RESEARCH TOPIC: The effects of climate change on coral reef ecosystems
Wild, C., Hoegh-Guldberg, O., Naumann, M.S., Colombo-Pallotta, M.F., Ateweberhan, M., Fitt, W.K. Iglesias-Prieto, R., Palmer, C., Bythell, J.C., Ortiz, J.C., Loya, Y., and Van Woesik, R. (2011). Climate Change impedes scleractinian corals as primary reef ecosystem engineers. Marine and Freshwater Research, 62.2, 205-215.
The article researches the effects of climate change on primary reef ecosystem engineers, such as Scleratinian Corals. These are organisms which construct the framework that serves as a habitat for all other coral reef organisms. With the increase in CO2 being dissolved in the ocean due to Global Warming, PH levels have been declining, The PH decline has resulted in the reduction of both primary productivity, coral calcification as well as death of coral engineers. The long term effect of Global Warming will cause a reduction in coral based reef communities. It will therefore modify coral’s role as engineering organism in its ecosystem.

Riegl, B.M., Purkis, S.J., Al-Cibahy, A.S., Abdel-Moati, M.A., Hoegh-Guldberg, O. (2011). Present Limits to Heat-Adaptability in Corals and Population-Level Responses to Climate Extremes. PLOS ONE, 6.9, e24802.
The article is based on findings relating to corals current limits to heat-adaptability and population levels in reaction to climate extremities. Climate change settings due to increase in tropical ocean temperatures by 1-3 degrees C, will potentially kill numerous coral reefs by 2099. The year 2010 is recorded as one of the hottest with temperatures above 34 degrees C. Arabian Gulf corals survived severe bleaching since they are used to warm climate for ~6 ky while other corals will have
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