CRs L3 - Threats & Why CRs are Important

Question 1

(Importnace) Name the 4 reasons why CRs are important.

Answer 1

CRs are important for: tourism & recreation, medicine, coastal protection, food & fishing.

Question 2

In how many countries are coral reefs found?

Answer 2

In over 100 countries.

Question 3

What does the complex reef habitat support?

Answer 3

Complex reef habitat supports the world’s highest level of marine biodiversity.

Question 4

(Importance) How do CRs help with Tourism & Recreation?

Answer 4

CRs attract millions of tourists every year, bringing important income to CRs communities. Some countries derive more than half of their gross national product from CRs industries.

Question 5

(Importance) How do CRs help with Medicine?

Answer 5

CRs species are providing new medicine compounds & technology to treat serious diseases. More than half of their cancer drug research is focusing on marine organisms.

Question 6

(Importance) How do CRs help with Coastal Protection?

Answer 6

Coastal reef act as a natural wave barriers that protect coastal communities & beaches from storm damage.

Question 7

(Importance) How do CRs help with Food & Fishing?

Answer 7

CRs sustain the fish and shelfish population that provide protein for 1 Billion people. Reefs are nurseries for many commercially valuable species.

Question 8

(Threats) Can you list 5 of the main threats to CRs?

Answer 8

Climate change, overfishing, destructive fishing, pollution & tourism.

Question 9

(Threats) How does Climate Change affect on CRs?

Answer 9

Corals cannot survive if the water temperature is too high. Global warming has already led to increased levels of coral bleaching, and this is predicted to increase in frequency and in the coming decades.

Question 10

(Threats) How does Overfishing affect on CRs?

Answer 10

Taking too many fish disrupts the balance within the ecosystem.

Question 11

(Threats) How does Destructive Fishing affect on CRs?

Answer 11

Bottom trawling is one of the main threats to our reefs, not only do the nets physically break the reefs but it also means they catch endangered species.

Question 12

(Threats) How does Pollution affect on CRs?

Answer 12

Chemicals & sewage end up in our oceans, often causing increased algea which smothers the coral & kills it by cutting off sunlight.

Question 13

(Threats) How does Tourism affect on CRs?

Answer 13

Careless boating, dropping anchors, touching coral & taking pieces of coral are all threatening to the reefs.