Frozen Like Leftovers: Plan B to Save the Coral
posted by: Nancy R. 43 days ago
In a bid to ensure the species' preservation, coral samples from around the world will be frozen to save them from destruction by global warming. At a meeting in Copenhagen this week, 120 lawmakers from 16 countries learned of the proposed project by the Zoological Society of London. Preserved in liquid nitrogen, the coral could be reintroduced to the ocean if or when the environment allows.
The coral cryobank echoes the Global Seed Vault project in a remote corner of Norway, where thousands of plant seeds are preserved as a hedge against future environmental disaster. These efforts show the importance of contingency planning in the face of the wholesale destruction of ecosystems around the globe.
Rising levels of CO2 in the atmosphere are trapping the sun's heat and raising the oceans' temperature. The delicate coral reefs are further damaged by increasng acidity levels caused by CO2 emissions dissolving into the sea.
"Atmospheric CO2 concentrations of 350 parts per million represented a threshold for the world’s reefs, Beyond that, damaging heating becomes too frequent and the ecosystem starts to decline. We are already at 387ppm and reefs are beginning to fail.” stated Dr. Charlie Veron, a former chief scientist for the Australian Institute for Marine Science, as quoted in the Sunday Times of London.
If saving beauty and biodiversity isn't reason enough to fight climate change, a U.N. Environmental Programme economist has calculated that the world's coral reefs save us $172 billion every year.
The New Scientist quotes the author of the study, Pavan Sukhdev:
"The entire ecosystem is on the point of collapse," he says. "Unless negotiators in Copenhagen [in Denmark, at the UN climate talks in December] agree to limit atmospheric carbon dioxide to 350 parts per million, they will sentence the world's coral reefs to death."
And then there's food and national security. It's estimated that 500 million people around the globe rely on coral reefs for food, to attract tourists, and to shelter coastlines.
Rising temperatures, pollution and habitat destruction are threatening the survival of the reefs, which in turn threatens the fragile web of life of which we are all a part. While it's smart to have a Plan B, can we do more to preserve the coral in the ocean, rather than in a deep freeze?
Take Action:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/11th-international-coral-reef-symposium-call-to-action
Learn more:
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/protect-the-worlds-coral-reefs.html
The coral cryobank echoes the Global Seed Vault project in a remote corner of Norway, where thousands of plant seeds are preserved as a hedge against future environmental disaster. These efforts show the importance of contingency planning in the face of the wholesale destruction of ecosystems around the globe.
Rising levels of CO2 in the atmosphere are trapping the sun's heat and raising the oceans' temperature. The delicate coral reefs are further damaged by increasng acidity levels caused by CO2 emissions dissolving into the sea.
"Atmospheric CO2 concentrations of 350 parts per million represented a threshold for the world’s reefs, Beyond that, damaging heating becomes too frequent and the ecosystem starts to decline. We are already at 387ppm and reefs are beginning to fail.” stated Dr. Charlie Veron, a former chief scientist for the Australian Institute for Marine Science, as quoted in the Sunday Times of London.
If saving beauty and biodiversity isn't reason enough to fight climate change, a U.N. Environmental Programme economist has calculated that the world's coral reefs save us $172 billion every year.
The New Scientist quotes the author of the study, Pavan Sukhdev:
"The entire ecosystem is on the point of collapse," he says. "Unless negotiators in Copenhagen [in Denmark, at the UN climate talks in December] agree to limit atmospheric carbon dioxide to 350 parts per million, they will sentence the world's coral reefs to death."
And then there's food and national security. It's estimated that 500 million people around the globe rely on coral reefs for food, to attract tourists, and to shelter coastlines.
Rising temperatures, pollution and habitat destruction are threatening the survival of the reefs, which in turn threatens the fragile web of life of which we are all a part. While it's smart to have a Plan B, can we do more to preserve the coral in the ocean, rather than in a deep freeze?
Take Action:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/11th-international-coral-reef-symposium-call-to-action
Learn more:
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/protect-the-worlds-coral-reefs.html
Read more: coral, destruction, environment, global warming
comments
Man is on a rampage to destroy the natural resources of this planet. He, like a cancer, overbreeds and spreads his destruction everywhere. Therefore in the end--assuming he keeps this up--he will destroy himself.
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why is this inappropriate?
Corals for a myriad of reasons from being the springboards of healthy ecosystems to economics deserves protections.
The public as a whole now is even aware of the ravages of CO2 increases in our ocean's waters displaced there from the CO2 saturated atmosphere. Corals as the foundation of healthy oceanic ecosystems, of course are the first to be negatively and adversely affected by an ever increasing carbonic acid environ.
Though not considered a higher lifeform, they are multicelled animals and I don't see them surviving a deep freeze. I appreciate their intentions as trying to save samples, but is it worthless effort?
Shouldn't we be doing more in trying to avoid a doomsday scenario as opposed to preparing for it...
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As someone working to save the planet, it pains me to say that efforts to preserve small pieces of life in cages, bottles, and envelopes is, almost certainly, pointless as a practical matter. Even if following generations muster the will and the resources to maintain and manage this "mega-zoo" over a very long haul, it is unlikely that habitats capable of supporting these creatures will emerge at the other end. It has taken us a billion years to get to where we are. If we destroy half of what we have, what we loose will not grow back. Something else will replace it and our collection, when released, will have nowhere to go.
On the one hand, I say put all of our resources into preventing this disaster but, on the other, and as an ethical matter, I say we should save what we can.
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So. Humanities hopes sit in Norway - hope it works.....
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The petition didn't really make sense, as 2008 was the International Year of the Reef, with the meeting in July of that year. Is there something relevant for 2009 or 2010 now that the meetings of July 7-11, 2008 are over?
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I think that the people responsible for debunking global warming should re-educate themselves in Science, because clearly they have no clue. Unfortunately, Big business such as car manufacturing and Oil Companies they will win out and the population will lose. Governments had done nothing and will continue to do nothing, because, of their economies good thing about it is a few more Katina's and they will have no economies. There is nowhere to run if people continue to destroy the planet, they destroy themselves as well, this is why I consider them FOOLS!!!!
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Go to YouTube, and you'll see many videos claiming that CO2 is good for agriculture. High CO2 makes some plants grow faster, but because the greenhouse effect also causes exploding insect populations and new weather patterns (drought, torrential rains, high winds) there is not likely to be any overall benefit to agriculture.
If you have a minute, please email the companies that are broadcasting these ads and ask them to stop putting out misleading information. Don't rant, cite reputable scientific studies.
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why is this inappropriate?
Go to YouTube, and you'll find numerous videos with titles like CO2 is green, and CO2 is life, claiming to debunk global warming. I urge you to email the companies that are broadcasting these misleading ads, and ask them to stop. Don't rant, provide links to reputable scientific studies. Point out that the shocking decline in fish populations is not just due to overfishing, but also to the death of coral reefs, the "nurseries" of the oceans.
While high atmosphere CO2 does make some plants grow faster, any benefit to agriculture would likely be negated by the exploding insect populations and drought that accompany global warming.
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It is a sad fact that mankind is detecting what they´ve lost when its already gone. So it´s not false at all to save samples in the refrigerator, but it is the most real fact that we need the coral reefs, the mammals, the entire ocean and everything in it and around it, including the sharks (being the binmen of the oceans). Why? This whole biotope is a very fragile air condition system for us all. It delivers fresh air, rain for our corn fields and vegetables, fish meat, crab meat and endless other sea products for all gourmets (like me...OK, I try to hold off myself because the oceans are really overfished, but ist very difficult). Without clean rain water there will be no grass for the crops, there will be no more flowers, everything will get polluted through the rain. When we face the facts it can only lead to one decision: to save the oceans with everything in it and around it as long as we breathe because there can be no life on earth withour clean water.
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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.
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