Research: Death Of Coral Reefs Can Affect Millions Of People

Massive reports of dying coral reefs have been lately scattering. Global warming is the main cause of these unwanted deaths. Researchers now explain how these deaths of coral reefs affect humans.

It has been previously reported that the coral reefs in Great Barrier Reef are dying because of coral bleaching. Also, divers have seen that globally, the problem that affects marine life is warmer and acidic oceans.

The scientists conducted a research. It shows that if carbon dioxide emissions continue to hit the planet's increasing temperature, the massive loss of coral reefs could affect tens of millions of people by 2050.

In the study, an international group of scientists mapped places where the losses of coral reefs hit the hardest. They identify places where most people rely on reefs as their livelihood, especially for fishing, tourism and shoreline protection. They then combined their results with others to identify coral reefs that are mostly under stress due to ocean acidification and warming.

The researchers were able to identify countries like Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia that will bear the impact of the damage from the death of coral reefs. Also included are coastal communities in some parts of Australia, western Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Japan. The problem could not only take effect in those countries but also it can spread out to larger countries such as China and smaller countries like island nation of Nauru in the South Pacific, according to Washington Post.

The loss of coral reefs can affect in many places that could result in economic disaster. The effect could also hit fishermen because marine animals could decrease and source of income will be a problem.

International chair at the European Institute of Marine Studies, also the study lead author, Linwood Pendelton said, "It means jobs for lots of people."

As follows, various countries depend on coral reefs as one of the main barriers against incoming storms and lessen the damage caused by surging seas. Pendelton added that without the healthy coral reefs, you lose what is essentially a moving, undersea sea wall. The waves just come into shore full force. That can cause loss of life. It can cause loss of property, according to Salt Lake Tribune.

Experts now are working hard on how to restore the reefs.