Friday, April 21, 2017

Coral Reefs Struggle to Keep Up with Rising Seas, Leave Coastal Communities at Risk

Healthy Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) near unpopulated Buck Island, US Virgin Islands. Elkhorn coral is one of many important reef-building species that create 3-D structure on the seafloor. Coral reef structure provides habitat for marine life and helps break up waves as they approach the coastline. (Credit: Curt Storlazzi, USGS) Click to Enlarge.
In the first ecosystem-wide study of changing sea depths at five large coral reef tracts in Florida, the Caribbean, and Hawai'i, researchers found the sea floor is eroding in all five places, and the reefs cannot keep pace with sea level rise.  As a result, coastal communities protected by the reefs are facing increased risks from storms, waves, and erosion.
Read more at Coral Reefs Struggle to Keep Up with Rising Seas, Leave Coastal Communities at Risk
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