Reef Destruction and Conservation Efforts.
Recent government studies have shown that coral reefs and marine fish are in great danger. Researchers have determined that within fifty years coral reefs existence will be cut in half. Coral reefs are one of the most diverse and biologically productive ecosystems on earth. They are unique among marine communities. In addition to being spectacular displays of nature's creativity, coral reefs are reservoirs of biological diversity and are truly the "tropical rain forests of the sea". These displays and marine lives are being destroyed each day primarily due to lack of respect for the ocean life. Everyone must work together to stop the pollution and destruction of our coral reefs and the environment around it. .
Corals are animals, not plants and have very specific requirements for light, temperature, water clarity, salinity and oxygen. Housed in this magnificent underworld are the marine fishes, invertebrates, sea turtles and crustaceans. Both the corals and fishes are important to one another. In some instances the fish will feed coral that it thrives in, such as an anemone fish. When either of these lives is hurt they both suffer.
There are many benefits to keeping marine life alive and abundant. Most people don't realize but reefs and the fish that thrive in the ocean are very important to mankind. Coral reefs yield approximately one-tenth fish caught for human consumption. Pacific Islanders use the fish for their source of protein, while obtaining the fish they take great care not to harm the reefs. Also some of the world's largest oil and gas fields are ancient reefs. .
Ocean life is also used in the science of medicine, and many new discoveries are being made as research continues. Such as in Japan's reef there is a chemical called kainac acid, which is used as a diagnostic chemical used to investigate Huntington's chorea, a rare but fatal disease of the nervous system (Aldridge 102).
