THREATS TO CORAL REEF IN MALAYSIA

Introduction

Coral Reef Polyp

-Aragonite structures produced by living organisms -Found in tropical marine waters -Usually with little or no nutrient levels in the water

There are two different categories of threats to coral reefs namely; - Man-made threats and; - Natural causes

Man-made threats

Land Development and Pollution

Coral reefs adapt themselves in waters with low nutrient content Addition of nutrients favours species that disrupt the balance of the reef communities Nutrient-rich water causes fleshy algae and photoplankton to thrive In suffocating amounts known as algal blooms Loss of wetlands and mangrove habitats Affects water quality on inshore reefs

Land Development and Pollution

Poor water quality Encourages the spread of infectious diseases among corals Copper, a common industrial pollutant Interferes with the life history and development of coral polyps

Live Reef Fish Trade

Due to the hobby of keeping saltwater aquaria Primary product of the aquarium industry is fish A demand for fish being highly colourful 95% of exploited fish are directly collected in the coral environment Intense sampling has caused great damage to the environment

Live Reef Fish Trade

In order to earn an income through fishing, poor fishermen use cyanide in fishing Cyanide is often used in to catch live aquarium fish The use of sodium cyanide causes the fish collected to die a few months after capture from extensive liver damage Other fish species also die in the field, including coral reefs

Dynamite Fishing

An extremely destructive method that fishermen use to harvest small fish Explosives are activated and thrown into the water Explosion causes an underwater shockwave, causing the internal organs of fish to liquefy, killing them almost instantly Claims the lives of many reef animals Many fish do not float to the surface to be collected, instead they sink to the bottom

Dynamite Fishing
The blast also kills the corals in the area, eliminating the very structure of the reef It destroys the habitat for fish and other animals important for the maintenance of a healthy reef

Natural Causes

Coral Bleaching

Due to the El Nino phenomena back in 1998 and 2004 Sea surface temperatures rose well above normal Many tropical coral reefs were bleached or killed Global warming could negate some recovery the coral reefs are going through Toxins in the tissue are produced when water temperatures climb, causing coral bleaching

Coral Bioerosion caused by Coral Bleaching