Hypothesis 4k3a2h

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Eve Chase October 11, 2016 Independent Research G/T pd.2 Hypothesis The Ocean vs. the World: Coral Reefs Decline Research Question: Why are coral reefs declining and how does this affect our future? Hypothesis: Coral reefs decline are negatively affecting the ocean and humans. History of Coral Reef Decline: Coral reefs have been declining and rising since dinosaurs were alive. There have been global warmings and coolings leading up into today’s recent history and there have been mass bleachings and deaths of coral reefs. Most corals can survive the bleachings, but some have been wiped out. The only problem behind these bleaching of coral reefs is that now, in recent documented data, coral has been declining much faster than ever before. But the problem for the coral isn’t just bleaching; it is human tampering. Phil Dustin, a marine biologist of the College of Charleston has studied the coral decline for years, watching and recording data from Florida reefs and he explains humans are the ultimate blame, "I’ve seen what happens when natural disasters such as hurricanes hit the coral reefs. They fully recover.” Humans contaminate the coral, shielding the coral from nutrients. For decades humans have ruined coral with run-off

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chemicals from lawns and sewage dumps. Reefs have at least 30-40% less coral than they used to, damaging the populations of fish. Losing coral reefs has major effects. With the decline of coral reefs, fish species have been damaged. Research done by the World Resources Institute have data concluding that 75% of coral reefs are at risk of damage and death in the next 30 years. NASA has conducted studies in the past two decades by launching satellites in space to document coral’s decline. Coral reefs and their decline has been ongoing for centuries, but studies have been gaining recent attention within the last 30 years. Rationale: My topic of research is important to me and most marine biologists, but it should be to almost everyone. I picked this topic to dissect the causes and effects of the decline of coral reefs. Coral reefs’ decline is caused by humans, and it effects humans. With the loss of so many coral reefs, there is a lower supply of fish and a constant decrease of species. This means with the decrease of fish, fishing markets will go down. We will have a limited amount of resource and jobs will be at fault. Contaminating our own waters with pollution, waste, and sewage will damage the future of the ocean and humans. Basis of Hypothesis: The basis of the hypothesis is to focus on the decline of coral reefs. I have seen a major increase in eco-friendly products in recent years and have noticed publications on stopping pollution in our oceans. In looking into the subject, I realized that our oceans are deteriorating, and quickly. I recognized that we, humans, are at fault for this, but we can also save this

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dilemma. I hope to find answers of why the corals are being harmed and how, and then the answer of how to fix this problem.

Operational Definitions: 

Declining: the population of coral reefs dying off or bleached, not being able to provide

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nutrients or contain them. Negatively: species of fish declining, jobs sabotage, decline of freshwater

Descriptors Used for Literature Research:    

Coral reef decline Coral reef effects Coral reef bleaching Ocean pollution

References Cho, R. (2011, June 13). Losing our coral reefs. Retrieved October 12, 2016, from State of the planet website: http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/06/13/losing-our-coral-reefs/ National Ocean Service. (2011, December 8). Pollution can smother coral reefs, lower water quality, and make corals more susceptible to disease. Retrieved October 11, 2016, from Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary website: http://floridakeys.noaa.gov/corals/pollution.html National Ocean Service. (2016, March 17). What is coral bleaching? Retrieved October 11, 2016, from http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coral_bleach.html

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