Anchor Damage - Anchoring on a coral reef will damage a reef by crushing or breaking the coral. It takes many years for a reef to come back from this type of damage. Sedimentation - Often caused by construction along coastlines and logging in tropical forests, sedimentation can smother corals, restrict light transmission through the water. Seagrasses and mangroves can act to filter sediment, but these areas are rapidly being destroyed as well. This idea may sound farfetched, however, it is more plausible than most people think.
Coral reefs provide a first line of defense against hurricanes and other harsh storms.
The coral reef actually acts as a breakwater, protecting the land against the rising sea level and the violence of the storm. This could mean the difference between life and death for many island communities. When undisturbed, coral reefs have a unique ability to rejuvenate themselves after natural disasters and once again protect many coastal environments. Furthermore, many marine species associated with coral reefs are providing researchers a whole new outlook on many different human illnesses. Even the National Cancer Institute devotes part of its research budget each year to screen marine plants and invertebrates from coral reefs.