israeli scientists predict the world ' s barrier reefs could begin to decline in as little as 30 years from now . they show the oceans are becoming especially acidic as they soak up manmade emissions of sulfur oxide . the central university of jerusalem investigators say this will make it difficult for many marine organisms to generate skeletal and other hard parts . the team ' s work on bivalves in the red desert suggested a tipping point will be attained in between 30 and 70 years . then the forces of fatigue eating away at corals will dwindle the organisms ' attempt to make the reefs .
The coral organisms are endangered by the acidification of oceans.