Scientists: Global warming could kill coral reefs by 2050.

One of the adverse effects of global warming is the rising carbon emissions that might kill of the ocean’s coral reefs by 2050, according to scientists in today’s edition of the journal of Science. This review, conducted by 17 marine scientists including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is the most widespread review so far of the catastrophic threat global warming poses to coral, and by extension many ocean species.

Burning coal, oil, and gas adds carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and ocean water absorbs it from the air. The ocean’s waters becomes more acidic when carbon dioxide is added into it, impeding the ability of coral to solidify their skeletons, thus, they are slowly deteriorated and eventually dies.

Coral reefs are very essential because they serve as hatcheries and nurseries for open ocean fish. They also guard the shorelines from storms, supply fish, leisure and tourism dollars. Approximately one billion Asians depend on coral reef fisheries. The total economic value of coral is estimated to be $30 billion.

According to marine scientists, global warming is severely risking that crucial component of the ocean biodiversity.

Bob Steneck of the University of Maine said that we have created conditions on Earth unlike anything most species alive today have experienced in their evolutionary history. Corals are feeling the effects of our actions and it is now or never if we want to safeguard these marine creatures and the livelihoods that depend on them

These scientists have provided three possible scenarios on what might happen to the world’s coral reefs, based on the lower range predictions of atmospheric carbon dioxide given by the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

1. In the best case scenario, carbon dioxide emissions are evened out at today’s levels of 380 ppm (parts-per million). Coral reefs here can be ensured to be still unbroken.
2. In the midrange scenario, carbon dioxide levels rise to 450-500 ppm and the temperature goes up 3.6 degrees. Heat-tolerant kinds of coral emerge and reefs considerably become less diverse, with a decrease in fish and other sea creatures.
3. In the worst scenario, carbon dioxide levels rise above 500 ppm and the temperature increases more than 5.4 degrees. This may cause the reefs to disintegrate and half of the sea creatures may fade away. Red, brown and green algae emerge, planktons flourish, and the quality of water erodes. At present, levels are rising tremendously due to increasing amounts of fossil-fuel burning.

According to coral expert Chris Langdon, this trend may indeed be bad for corals, but predicting it earlier is sensational because there is a possibility that they will be able to adjust their composition.

There is no doubt that oceans are becoming more acid, which is more straightforward than climate sensitivity where you don't know exactly how much the atmosphere will warm for each doubling of carbon dioxide.

There are so many factors that affect this kind of phenomena. Not only does nature contribute to the worsening conditions of these corals but also the acts of people that harm it.

But there is still hope for our society to resolve these threats. If we survived other catastrophes in the past, these problems can be easily mobilized and responded to.