• Corpus ID: 129831549

Saving the Rainforests of the Sea: An Analysis of International Efforts to Conserve Coral Reefs

@inproceedings{Mulhall2009SavingTR,
  title={Saving the Rainforests of the Sea: An Analysis of International Efforts to Conserve Coral Reefs},
  author={M. Mulhall},
  year={2009}
}

• M. Mulhall
• Published 22 March 2009
• Environmental Science

"The descent into the sea reveals a fantastic world, the coral reef For some, its infinite diversity and beauty make it an almost mystical experience. The panorama of the coral reef is like the view from a Himalayan mountaintop; they both arouse the same excitement, the same sense of mystery." (1) I. INTRODUCTION Coral reefs, home to some of the most diverse life in the world, are dying faster than scientists can count them. (2) Today, these fragile ecosystems face myriad threats unprecedented in the 200-300 million years over which they have evolved. (3) But it is not yet time to give up on coral reefs, believing that their doom is sealed. This past year, 2008, was named "International Year of the Reef," and a worldwide campaign is on to raise awareness about reef ecosystems and the bold steps we must take to save them. (4) The world community still has a chance to ensure that our children and grandchildren experience the awe of coral reefs firsthand and benefit from the many services reef ecosystems provide. This note outlines the principal threats faced by coral reefs, analyzes several main approaches the international community is employing to conserve reef ecosystems, and ultimately calls for a new international treaty wholly devoted to protecting these unique living structures. Part II describes the significance and benefits of reef ecosystems, as well as the basic biology of coral reefs. Part III focuses on the numerous threats imperiling coral reefs, including challenges associated with climate change and ocean acidification. Part IV discusses three current international approaches to reef conservation. Part V calls for the creation of a new international treaty devoted exclusively to coral reef protection, and recommends provisions this treaty must include to help fill the gaps in existing international approaches. II. CORAL REEFS--AN OVERVIEW Before examining the threats that reefs face, it is important to understand the immense benefits that coral reefs provide, and the far-reaching impacts that the demise of these ecosystems would have. Additionally, understanding current declines in the world's reefs requires a basic knowledge of the biology of these living structures. A. Significance and Benefits of Coral Reefs Coral reefs are often referred to as "the rainforests of the sea." (5) The comparison is fitting--despite occupying less than one percent of the ocean floor, an area about half the size of France, (6) temperate and tropical reefs provide a home for as much as twenty-five percent of the world's marine species. (7) Scientists are only just beginning to account for the more than one million species believed to live in coral reefs, but they know that more than four thousand species of fish alone call the reefs home. (8) Only tropical rainforests can compete with the sheer concentration of biodiversity found in coral reefs, and rainforests occupy twenty times as much area as reefs. (9) In addition to providing habitats for a stunning array of biodiversity, coral reefs provide numerous other benefits. More than one hundred million tons of fish are consumed globally each year, providing two and a half billion people with more than twenty percent of their animal protein intake. (10) Nearly ten percent of all fish consumed worldwide is caught on reefs, with one square kilometer of healthy reef providing enough fish to feed three hundred people. (11) Additionally, reefs provide millions of tourism jobs in the more than one hundred countries and territories that have reefs in their coastal waters. (12) Tourism generates half of the gross national product for Caribbean countries, with reef exploration serving as a major attraction for those who visit this part of the world. (13) Another benefit of reefs is that these structures serve as important protective barriers for coastal cities and other communities. Healthy reefs absorb as much as ninety percent of the impact of wind-generated waves, sheltering coastal cities and other communities from hurricanes and other storms, as well as from erosion. …