Sedimentation has been identified as a primary stressor for the existence and recovery of coral species and their habitats. There are many types and sources of pollution from land-based activities, for example: Many of the human activities that degrade coral reefs are inextricably woven into the social, cultural, and economic fabric of regional coastal communities.Ĭoral reefs face many threats from local sources, including:
As a result, they are particularly vulnerable to the effects of human activities, both through direct exploitation of reef resources, and through indirect impacts from adjacent human activities on land and in the coastal zone.
Most coral reefs occur in shallow water near shore. Threats to coral reefs come from both local and global sources. Many scientists now believe the very existence of coral reefs may be in jeopardy unless we intensify our efforts to protect them (Frieler et al.
