Thanyanun Limsoonthakul M.4/8 No.

2
Ariya Phawadee M.4/8 No.11

For several years, coral reefs that are all in the world have been destructed increasingly covering
areas.
Coral reefs benefit the environment and people in numerous ways. For example,
1) Protect shores from the impact of waves and from storms;
2) Provide benefits to humans in the form of food and medicine;
3) Provide economic benefits to local communities from tourism.
Destruction of coral reefs is losting of single algae cell called ‘Zooxanthelles’ that lives in coral reef
tissues by symbiosis relation. It affects coral reefs be weak because of not getting enough nutrients and
risk for death
Zooxanthelles is single cell organism that photosynthesizes to synthesize food, stimulate limestone
production and make coral reef colour. Coral reefs give zooxanthelles habitat.
This is the result of several factors:
1. Global Change Threats
 Coral bleaching—caused by elevated sea surface temperatures due to global climate
change;
 Rising levels of CO2
 Diseases, Plagues and Invasives—linked to human disturbances in the environment.
2. Direct Human Pressures
 Over-fishing (and global market pressures)—including the use of damaging practices (bomb
and cyanide fishing);
 Sediments—from poor land use, deforestation, and dredging;
 Nutrients and Chemical pollution
 Development of coastal areas—for urban, industrial, transport and tourism developments,
including reclamation and mining of coral reef rock and sand beyond sustainable limits.
3. The Human Dimension — Governance, Awareness and Political Will
 Rising poverty, increasing populations, alienation from the land
 Poor capacity for management and lack of resources
 Lack of Political Will, and Oceans Governance

1. Will coral reefs’ destruction increase if the water’s temperature increases?

Independent variable: temperature in water
Dependent variable: coral reefs’ destruction
Hypothesis: Coral reefs’ destruction will increase if the water’s temperature increases.

2. How were coral reefs when the photosynthesis of Zooxanthelles had been disturbed?
Independent variable: the photosynthesis of Zooxanthelles
Dependent variable: the coral reefs
Hypothesis: When the hypothesis of Zooxanthelles has been disturbed, coral reefs were
slowly feeble and prone to disease.