Coral Reefs are the most essential and attractive living organism on the earth. It only attracts marine life, its heartfelt to the human being also because of their colorful infinite structure. The coral reefs are multiple underwater ecosystem that structure is made up of tiny thin layer of calcium carbonate. Basically, coral reefs are formed by groups of the small animals (fish) because they get few nutrient and these corals also provide shelter for their safety. Coral reefs grow in waters from the surface to about 150 feet (45 meters) deep because they need sunlight to survive They are spread over approximately 110,000 square miles.

It can be found easily in many different regions of the world especially in clear, tropical oceans and even those area where we would not expect. According to the recent research on marine life that researcher discovered cold water coral reefs off the coast of Norway and in the deep water of Mediterranean Sea. Fundamentally, they are mostly found between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, in the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, the Red Sea, and the Persian Gulf. The largest coral reef is the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and now these are rarely found as well as in Florida and Southern Japan.

The importance of Coral Reefs for sustainability of marine ecosystems is underestimated. It is true that many small fish rely on these corals but human beings are also affected by them. For instance, advancement in medical sciences such as treatments for Cancer & HIV can be attributed to research of Coral Reefs. Coral reefs also buffer the coastal area from high waves, storms, hurricanes, typhoons, and even tsunamis. The reef also keeps the coastal erosion, flooding, and loss of life and property on the seashore. It also helpful to generate revenue from tourism.

As previously mentioned, Coral reefs are the home of 25% of all marine life but unfortunately these beautiful and life sustaining living organism would soon disappear if we do not take serious steps to prevent them for further decline. Last year and even in this year, the different research publications on Coral Reef shocked the world again because of mass coral bleaching at Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, the most famous and largest of all coral ecosystems. Moreover, one-quarter of coral reefs worldwide are already considered damaged beyond repair, with another two-thirds under serious threat. Many researchers said that many of the world’s reef are almost or already dead due to global warming.

Coral reefs are threatened by natural phenomena such as hurricanes, melting glaciers, raising sea water level and further climate changes that make the ocean more acidic. Climate change can have adverse effect not only on marine life but on almost all living species on land. No coral can sustain life due to rising global ocean temperatures. Furthermore, others local factor that create the Coral hostile and threaten are over fishing, coastal development, pollution, careless tourism, coral mining and the highly increasing level of Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere.

Thus, we have a responsibility to stop corals from bleaching further and try to assist in its recovery efforts. Raising awareness about coral reef is of utmost importance. It’s our duty to clean our shore from sewerage and pollution and reduce the fossil fuel emissions from the society as soon as possible because it is one of the most fundamental threat which causes mass bleaching of coral.

FARAH HASSAN,

Lahore, October 22.