Oceanography current event report. Oceanography Current Event Report

Oceanography Current Event Report
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Oceanography Current Event Report
Summary
The article authored by scholars from Bar-Ilan University is about how the existence of the most resilient coral reefs is endangered by climate change and extreme levels of nutrients in the seas (Bar-Ilan University, 2018). As indicated in the article, coral reefs found in the northern part of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba are the most resilient to acidification and climate change. However, the nutrients poured in seas from sewage, flash floods, and fish farms pose a serious threat to the existence of coral reefs.
To confirm their claims, scholars from Bar-Ilan University conducted a simulative study, imitating the conditions found in the northern part of Red Sea, with the aim of determining the impact the excess levels of nutrients could have on coral reefs (Bar-Ilan University, 2018). They used coral reefs with exact resilience as those found in the Red Sea or Gulf of Aqaba. Although the coral reefs were not affected by climatic change and acidification, increasing amount of nutrients and phosphate significantly reduced their thermal resistance, and physiological functions were negatively impacted. Moreover, high amount of nutrients were found to compromise the composition of microbial organisms living on the surface of coral reefs, making them more prone to diseases.
The scientists who conducted this study warn that rising levels of nutrients in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba endangers the life of coral reefs as a result of an imminent increase in levels of global warming (Bar-Ilan University, 2018). They say that governments of various countries must work together in a bid to minimize ocean pollution. Coral reefs play an immense role in the world economy, and they act as a tourist attraction in countries such as Jordan. Therefore, there is a need for governments, despite their polit...