Coral Reefs: The Canaries of Climate Change

Coral reefs are called the canaries of climate change due to their high sensitivity to changes in environmental conditions and thus their perfect role in reflecting the extent to which the environment has been changed by human activity.

Little changes in temperature and pH of the ocean environment can cause coral reefs to bleach – a process in which they expel the symbiotic photosynthetic algae which they rely on to survive. The algae does photosynthesis and supplies the coral with energy while the coral supplies the algae with a shelter on its surface. Without the algae, the coral loses its color – thus “bleaching” – and dies.

Coral has huge ecological, cultural, and environmental value to humans. On top of helping to buffer coastal communities against storms, coral reefs also serve as huge biodiversity hubs and provide valuable fishing and medicine sources for us. They also serve as a great place for tourism and generates lots of economical income for countries such as Australia, where the Great Barrier Reef is located at.

Today, we should not only try our best to protect corals but also to try our best in mitigating the global climate crisis so more lives and ecosystems than just corals can be saved.