Since sea level may riser faster than reefs grow, the coral reefs may find themselves in water too deep for the zooxanthellae to receive the sunlight necessary for photosynthesis. Development of coastal communities has also taken a toll on coral reefs. As humans build extensively near the shoreline, there is more runoff polluting the water. Channels are dredged for commercial and recreational ship travel, damaging reefs in the process. Boats sometimes anchor on reefs, damaging them in the process.
Divers sometimes entangle their gear in reefs.
They will be able to use this information to create a network of marine protected areas. The Coral Reef Photo Collection is well worth visiting. Read about the effects of climate change on coral reefs. Riverdeep Interactive Learning Limited. All rights reserved.