What can lead to coral bleaching?

Answer 1

3 main causes for coral bleaching Primary cause = high water temperature - increase of 1.5˚ - 2˚ for 6 to 8 weeks = can trigger bleaching - same increase › 8 weeks = corals begin to die - affects reefs at regional to global scale (global warming huge cause) - severe and wide spread bleaching can occur known as mass-bleaching event Disease - usually at local scale - Infectious bacteria attacking the symbiotic algae. One such agent has been later identified as Vibrio shiloi. - The pathogen is infectious only during warm periods; therefore, global warming would increase the occurrence of conditions that promote the spread of infection. Pollutants - usually at local scale - Chemical runoff (fertilizers, industrial waste etc.) into the water can cause the coral to expel the algae.

Answer 2

Too much or too little sunlight and excessively warm or cold water temperatures can bleach coral reefs. Coral is in fact composed of thousands of tiny animals called polyps. As the polyps feed and grow, they create calcium deposits that serve as a skeleton. The hard, white structure we recognize as coral is actually the skeleton of thousands of little polyps. Coral reefs are extremely sensitive to temperature change, even within 2 degrees, and will die if disturbed. Because the color of a coral reef is created from the tissue color of living polyps, through death coral becomes bleached and white as they display the calcium skeleton beneath.

Answer 3

when too much ultraviolet radiation penetrates coral ecosystems, the photosynthetic processes of the zooxanthellae can be disrupted. loss of zooxanthellae is the ultimate cause of coral bleaching.

its right. i just got this answer from E2020

Answer 4

Dinoflagellates provide nutrients from the products of photosynthesis to the corals in exchange for a safe place to live

Answer 5

increased sunlight