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Coral Reefs: Donald's Tale

By Jennifer Kenny Donald's father traveled around the world for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. His current work was to study the coral reefs. Donald knew them as beautiful, but he didn't know much more about them than that. As Donald's father prepared to visit the coral reefs near the Florida Keys, Donald became inquisitive. "What exactly is coral?" Donald asked. "It's an animal, a polyp. It creates a calcium carbonate shell around itself. Inside, it lives in harmony with zooxanthellae, algae that produce food and share it with the coral. When colonies of living coral grow for hundreds of years atop older ones, reefs form," Dad answered. "The coral reefs always look so amazing. Their names reflect that. Starburst, Brain, and so on are so cool," Donald said. "Coral reefs are spectacular! There's no denying that. However, as a scientist, I recognize that they are so much more than that. Did you know that coral reefs are the largest living structures on Earth?" Dad asked. "No," Donald responded. "Then I bet you didn't know," Dad continued, "that coral reefs are home to approximately twenty-five percent of all fish species." "No, I didn't," Donald agreed. "Coral reefs also create natural barriers that protect dwellings, farmlands, and beaches. Numerous people around the world rely on coral reefs for their livelihoods. Coral reefs have also been used for some health treatments, too." "Wow, Dad, I didn't realize all that. Is that why you sometimes compare coral reefs to rain forests?" Donald asked. "Yes," Dad responded. "They are both beautiful. They both offer incredible biodiversity. Unfortunately, we're losing both." "What do you mean?" Donald asked in shock. "Coral reefs are threatened. They are at great risk. By 2050, 70% of them may be lost unless we act right away," Dad answered. "That's awful," Donald said. "Why is this happening?" "That's what we are trying to study," said Dad. "How does a little bit of human nature and a little bit of Mother Nature sound?" "What do you mean?" Donald asked. "Humans fish. Humans snorkel. Humans use boats. Any of these activities can damage coral reefs. Humans also use poison to hunt for tropical fish and then the corals are left with the poisons. Humans also pollute the oceans where corals live with fertilizer and sewage. These pollutants harm the environment. Whether corals can survive these human stresses is questionable. Corals only grow about a half an inch per year. A coral head can be hundreds of years old. In one scrape, bacteria can be introduced and the coral may ultimately die," Dad said.

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"What's the deal with Mother Nature then?" asked Donald. "Climate change is a huge issue," Dad answered. "We're not exactly sure why. Warmer waters stress the corals. They seem to kick out the algae they need in warmer waters. They become bleached. The result is mass die-offs like in 1998, which was one of the hottest years ever recorded. Think of the monumental El Nino of 97-98. There were floods, mudslides, and incredible devastation to the coral reefs. Since coral reefs are some of the oldest ecosystems on the planet and are home to millions of animals and plants, the loss of biodiversity could be devastatingly permanent." "What can people do?" Donald asked. "That's what we are trying to find out," Dad said. "We're using NASA's satellite data to track hot spots. I'm headed to the coral barrier reef six miles from the Florida Keys. I may not be able to change people or natural events, but I can try to learn enough to help reefs survive. A conservation act has made a national park of the reef habitats near Hawaii. It's meant to protect the corals there from humans. Perhaps that's a step in the right direction. We need to do something. According to my latest research, there's been a significant drop in the condition of coral reefs since 2005 and we're not headed in the right direction yet." "I hope you can save them," Donald said. "Me too, son," Dad said as he packed his last bag. Coral Reefs: Donald's Tale

Questions
1. Donald's father was headed to ______. A. Hawaii B. New York C. Australia D. Florida Keys 2. Coral lives in harmony with zooxanthellae, which is ______. A. a virus B. another coral C. a bacteria D. an algae 3. Which statement is NOT true? A. Coral reefs are home to 25% of all marine fish species. B. Starburst is the name of a coral. C. Coral is a mammal. D. Coral reefs can be colorful. 4. Coral reefs can be harmed by ______. A. rising ocean temperatures B. divers C. boats D. all of the above

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5. Coral reefs have been used as part of certain health treatments. A. False B. True 6. What was a consequence of El Nino 97-98? A. floods B. mudslides C. devastation to coral reefs D. all of the above 7. Since 2005, the general condition of coral reefs has ______. A. improved B. worsened