Corals and Environment

There are several dive sites at two of the top diving destinations in the Malaysia which are the Pulau Tioman and Pulau Redang Marine Park, are temporarily off-limits to divers and snorkelers until end-October 2010. The major cause is due to the coral bleaching. I came across this news in the Star in July 2010.

Corals are relying on algae that live inside each coral polyp to provide them nutrients and supplemental oxygen. Bleaching occurs when these colorful algae die out or leave the polyps, often claim of warm conditions excessively. Without their brightly colored algae, the coral's skeleton becomes visible through its transparent tissue, making it appear white.

Coral bleaching has devastated coral colonies around the world for almost three decades. There are many marine parks are affected by coral bleaching, a phenomenon caused by global warming that has increased sea water temperature. Marine Park Department said it would limit the number of visitors daily during the closure. It was crucial way to close marine parks and islands to protect the coral reefs which had turned white. The damage on coral reefs is at a warning stage which it is affecting between 60 to 90% of corals.

The climate change was worsening the serious problems facing the marine ecosystem. The lack of coral reefs, which provide a home to many marine species, would lead to fewer fishes in the ocean and affect the fishing industry. Who can help the corals reef? What should we do? The local university like Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) has taken the initiative to breed the spineless species. I think the coral reefs may never recover unless the people switch to a greener lifestyle thus corals can be sustainability alive. A good water quality, high coral cover and an abundant and diverse community of herbivorous fish is only the essential way in promoting coral recovery. And what do you think?