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Can Science Turn Back The Tide For Endangered Coral Reefs?

NPR
Published July 11, 2008 at 10:00 AM EDT
The largest threat to coral reefs are climate change and carbon dioxide levels. Warmer water temperatures lead to a condition known as 'coral bleaching,' which results in white, dead coral skeletons where once there were thriving reef communities.
William West
/
AFP/Getty Images
The largest threat to coral reefs are climate change and carbon dioxide levels. Warmer water temperatures lead to a condition known as 'coral bleaching,' which results in white, dead coral skeletons where once there were thriving reef communities.

Coral reefs provide habitats for more than just clownfish, like the popular title character of Finding Nemo. They also provide food and shelter to oysters, clams, crabs, shrimp, starfish, jellyfish, sea turtles and more.

As reported this week in the journal Science, an international team of researchers surveyed more than 700 species of coral around the world and found that over 230 of them should be classified as "critically endangered," "endangered" or "vulnerable" to extinction.

Kent Carpenter, an author of the report and director of global marine species assessment for Conservation International, talks about the plight of corals and whether anything can be done to turn back the tide.

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