THREATS TO CORAL REEFS IN MALAYSIA

Introduction

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

Coral Reef Polyp

There are two different categories of threats to coral

reefs namely;

- Man-made threats and;- Natural causes

Man-made threats

Land Development and PollutionLand Development and Pollution

Coral reefs adapt themselves in waters with low Coral reefs adapt themselves in waters with low nutrient contentnutrient content

Addition of nutrientsAddition of nutrients favours species that favours species that disrupt the balance of the reef communitiesdisrupt the balance of the reef communities

Nutrient-rich water causes fleshy algae and Nutrient-rich water causes fleshy algae and photoplankton to thrivephotoplankton to thrive

In suffocating amounts known as In suffocating amounts known as algal bloomsalgal blooms Loss of wetlands and mangrove habitatsLoss of wetlands and mangrove habitats Affects water quality on inshore reefsAffects 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 TradeLive 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 TradeLive Reef Fish Trade

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

Dynamite FishingDynamite Fishing

An extremely destructive method that fishermen use An extremely destructive method that fishermen use to harvest small fishto harvest small fish

Explosives are activated and thrown into the waterExplosives are activated and thrown into the water ExplosionExplosion causes an underwater shockwave, causing causes an underwater shockwave, causing

the internal organs of fish to liquefy, killing them the internal organs of fish to liquefy, killing them almost instantlyalmost instantly

Claims the lives of many reef animalsClaims the lives of many reef animals Many fish do not float to the surface to be collected, Many fish do not float to the surface to be collected,

instead they sink to the bottominstead they sink to the bottom

Dynamite FishingDynamite Fishing

• The blast also kills the coralsThe blast also kills the corals in in the area, eliminating the very the area, eliminating the very structure of the reefstructure of the reef

• It destroys the habitat for fish and It destroys the habitat for fish and other animals important for the other animals important for the maintenance of a healthy reefmaintenance of a healthy reef

Natural Causes

Coral BleachingCoral Bleaching

Due to the El Nino phenomena back in 1998 and Due to the El Nino phenomena back in 1998 and 20042004

Sea surface temperatures rose well above Sea surface temperatures rose well above normalnormal

Many tropical coral reefs were bleached or killedMany tropical coral reefs were bleached or killed Global warming could negate some recovery the Global warming could negate some recovery the

coral reefs are going throughcoral reefs are going through Toxins in the tissueToxins in the tissue are produced when water are produced when water

temperatures climb, causing coral bleachingtemperatures climb, causing coral bleaching

Coral Bioerosion caused by Coral Coral Bioerosion caused by Coral BleachingBleaching