The bleaching started in about 2006. Thank you. We need to stop burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas), stop burning our rubbish and plant more trees. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Oceans can be successfully restored by 2050, say scientists, Great Barrier Reef suffers third mass bleaching in five years, What is climate change? Are lateral flow tests for Covid-19 effective? The algae provides up to 90 percent of the coral's energy. By Dennis Normile Mar. Margaret Keenan, who turns 91 next week, becomes the first person in the world to get the jab as part of a mass vaccination programme, calling it the "best early birthday present". This is just another reason why it's best to take your fishing elsewhere. "Yes, it really helped me because I had a paragraph writing in my school here in Fiji. Many of the organizations rely on donations. Remember that you are destroying a living organism if you do take a piece of the reef. The acid bleaches the coral and kills it. Conserve water. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, which was created by U.S. Congress, also works extensively on the issue. This article has been viewed 162,985 times. Remember, they are living organisms. We also need to stop wasting water. There are ways that you can help protect coral reefs. © 2020 BBC. Human beings are incredible when we act together. The team made the coral - which is a type of animal, a marine invertebrate - more tolerant to temperature-induced bleaching by bolstering the heat tolerance of its microalgal symbionts - tiny cells of algae that live inside the coral tissue. Less runoff naturally leads to less wastewater finding its way into the sea and affecting the coral reefs negatively. If you touch a coral reef, it can cause you harm, too. You want fish that were bred in captivity. To create this article, 26 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. Do not discharge wastewater from your boat into the ocean. Coral can take a long time to grow, so taking it for your aquarium or jewelry box can have a lasting effect that will take years to undo. In Australia, the government has created ways for people to get involved to help protect the Great Barrier Reef. It’s a time problem. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 162,985 times. Control your flippers when diving or snorkeling so you don't accidentally touch a coral reef. Scientists say they have detected widespread bleaching, including extensive patches of severe damage. Coral reef ecosystems are threatened on a worldwide basis, with overfishing, diseases, eutrophication, hurricanes, overpopulation, and global climate change all contributing to recent declines in reef-forming corals or phase shifts in community structure on time scales not observed previously (1–3). Coral Bleaching: What is it, how does it happen and how bad is it? Don't assume that chemicals in your garden or on your farm won't find their way back into the ocean just because you don't live near it. So how can we stop the destruction of coral reefs? Keep your fins, gear, and hands away from the coral, as this contact can hurt you and will damage the delicate coral animals. It was heavily weighted, about 40% of my grade. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/7\/7e\/Protect-Coral-Reefs-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Protect-Coral-Reefs-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/7e\/Protect-Coral-Reefs-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid2173039-v4-728px-Protect-Coral-Reefs-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"