The document discusses the threats that rising global temperatures pose to coral reefs. It explains that coral bleaching occurs when water temperatures increase, causing corals to expel algae living in their tissues that are vital to their health. The document also notes that Australia is planning to create the world's largest marine protection zone in the Coral Sea to help preserve the reefs.

1. The Fall of Coral Reefs
Rachel Neuharth

2. The Earth is
getting unnaturally
hotter… what will
this mean for the
coral reefs?

4. Scienctist, Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, explains what this means for
reefs.

5. What is coral
bleaching?

6. Coral bleaching is caused when water temperature increases
and the coral expels zooxanthellae, single celled algae within
coral. Zooxanthellae is critical for coral reef health.

8. Australia’s Environment
Minister, Tony Burke, talks
about the planned Coral Sea
Commonwealth Marine
Reserve.
Australia
plans world’s
largest marine
protection
zone in Coral
Sea.

9. To be continued…

10. Bibliography
Hoegh-Guldberg,, O. (2008, September 3). Coral Reefs Under Rapid
Climate. Retrieved from
http://www.eeb.cornell.edu/harvell/Site/2007_files/HoeghGulb
erg07.pdf
Coral Sea marine reserve on the way. (2011, November 25). The Sydney
Morning Herald. Retrieved from
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/coral-sea-
marine-reserve-on-the-way-20111125-1nytd.html
Images retrieved from:
http://wavemakersrq.wordpress.com/
http://www.clker.com/clipart-9974.html
http://www.freeclipartnow.com/geography/earth/
http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/ml/ocean/cb/virtual_stations.html
http://www.whitsundaytimes.com.au/story/2011/06/21/burke-refuses-
qld-tourism-proposal/
http://www.france24.com/en/20111125-australia-plans-worlds-largest-
marine-reserve
http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/fbeinecke/global_coral_bleaching_anot
her.html