Are Coral Reefs Doomed…

[GARRIGA]

Just started watching but it kicks off with recent water highs in Key Largo of 101 degrees. Living near there I’m exposed to these changes and recall my own area seeing record highs.

Perhaps coral farms the only solution to the future and best all waters find a way to get samples of all corals into these indoor climate controlled farms. Mass scale Noah’s Ark thinking.

 

[Rollnwthdatide]

Diving the keys is depressing and gives a glimpse of what's to come.

 

[Dburr1014]

Thanks for sharing. That is an eye opener.

 

[chip shop]

Coral reefs will be here long after we’re gone,some species will die some will adapt to change better has as always happened

 

[Cthulukelele]

Coral reefs will be here long after we’re gone,some species will die some will adapt to change better has as always happened

I think they'll be here long after we're gone, but mass extinction events usually take thousands-to-millions of years to repopulate, and oftentimes what you end up with is completely different and may not even resemble what we consider a reef IMO

 

[chip shop]

But they will still be coral and just a guess but a lot of the same species as we see now

 

[GARRIGA]

I’m also of the belief reefs will ultimately survive considering 2-5% still exist but as mentioned this can take thousands if not millions of years to evolve.

My point being that in our lifetime they are possibly gone to the extent of further removal by the hobby or dive trips which will affect businesses and communities not having thousands of years to adapt.

 

[Cthulukelele]

I’m also of the belief reefs will ultimately survive considering 2-5% still exist but as mentioned this can take thousands if not millions of years to evolve.

My point being that in our lifetime they are possibly gone to the extent of further removal by the hobby or dive trips which will affect businesses and communities not having thousands of years to adapt.

I think we will end up with a lot less variety in the hobby, but I think a lot of soft coral and anemones will still be around regardless of these changes. I think the hobby will mainly just evolve around what happens and the speed in which it happens. I also see a future where places like tidal gardens and unique corals start government funded grow-outs to combat and acclimate coral more slowly to the shifting wild habitat.

 

[GARRIGA]

I think we will end up with a lot less variety in the hobby, but I think a lot of soft coral and anemones will still be around regardless of these changes. I think the hobby will mainly just evolve around what happens and the speed in which it happens. I also see a future where places like tidal gardens and unique corals start government funded grow-outs to combat and acclimate coral more slowly to the shifting wild habitat.

But then we’re back to the 80s where hard corals were few and far in between. Innovation in this hobby as I recall driven by hard corals. Berlin method, dosing alk and calcium as well as the ever evolving more expensive sump driven by that not easy to keep.

Personally, I’m starting to like photosynthetic sponges and have always been a fan of shrooms but then neither required much of today’s advances.

Besides the hobby. Sucks to see our reefs lose their identity. Moral of this thread

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

I tried to click the link to the video but it wont load for some reason.

Anyway, globally speaking, while reefs are definitely in danger, the extent of degradation/decline is highly dependent on location. Reefs in Southeast Asia and other regions (I mention southeast asia because I have firsthand knowledge here) arent anywhere close to the state reefs near the Keys, Caribbean, and some other areas are. They're actually healthy.

 

[Cthulukelele]

I tried to click the link to the video but it wont load for some reason.

Anyway, globally speaking, while reefs are definitely in danger, the extent of degradation/decline is highly dependent on location. Reefs in Southeast Asia and other regions (I mention southeast asia because I have firsthand knowledge here) arent anywhere close to the state reefs near the Keys, Caribbean, and some other areas are. They're actually healthy.

Yeah indo reefs are interesting as they almost show off why the hobby isn't actually the problem when it comes to reefs. They're the most aggressively overcollected reefs, but since they're buffered a bit from temp changes they're by far the healthiest right now. I think the hobby ends up the target of people rightfully angry about the future of reefs sometimes when in reality it has a near-completely negligible impact on reef health

 

[GARRIGA]

I tried to click the link to the video but it wont load for some reason.

Anyway, globally speaking, while reefs are definitely in danger, the extent of degradation/decline is highly dependent on location. Reefs in Southeast Asia and other regions (I mention southeast asia because I have firsthand knowledge here) arent anywhere close to the state reefs near the Keys, Caribbean, and some other areas are. They're actually healthy.

But for how long?

 

[GARRIGA]

Yeah indo reefs are interesting as they almost show off why the hobby isn't actually the problem when it comes to reefs. They're the most aggressively overcollected reefs, but since they're buffered a bit from temp changes they're by far the healthiest right now. I think the hobby ends up the target of people rightfully angry about the future of reefs sometimes when in reality it has a near-completely negligible impact on reef health

To clarify. I’m not saying collection is the detriment. Just warming temperatures which nothing on earth is protected from it eventually affecting it.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

But for how long?

I dont think anyone really knows honestly.

 

[Cthulukelele]

To clarify. I’m not saying collection is the detriment. Just warming temperatures which nothing on earth is protected from it eventually affecting it.

Oh I know. I mostly was going on what I thought was an interesting tangent

 

[GARRIGA]

I dont think anyone really knows honestly.

Entire planet is warmer already. All indications that’s it’s still getting warmer. It’s not something without facts and possibly a natural course the planet experiences as it has in the past. Regardless, I’m thinking best assume it’s happening and get all items into farms before they are gone.

 

[GARRIGA]

Oh I know. I mostly was going on what I thought was an interesting tangent

If anything, fragging solve that beyond new variants being discovered where a few colonies ensures that’s locked up and continues growing

 

[JayM]

No. Coral reefs aren’t doomed.

 

[vadryn]

Negativity sells. The human brain is wired to attach to negative more than positive. As a result the info we get is skewed at best. If there are reefs at risk from rising temperatures, what reefs are becoming more viable and expanding due to the same? Did you read about the Great Barrier Reef being at record highs in coral recently? Most haven't because it doesn't fit the narative. The alarmist and biased approach to informing is not an accident any more than it's accurate. The best path forward will be built on the truth.

And on a related note: Hobbiests are the solution, not the problem. The Reef Tank hobby is where interest and passion and desire for education are born in so many people. Those working to deal with issues affecting our reefs should be in deep partnership with the aquarist hobby, not using them as scape goats.

 

[GARRIGA]

Negativity sells. The human brain is wired to attach to negative more than positive. As a result the info we get is skewed at best. If there are reefs at risk from rising temperatures, what reefs are becoming more viable and expanding due to the same? Did you read about the Great Barrier Reef being at record highs in coral recently? Most haven't because it doesn't fit the narative. The alarmist and biased approach to informing is not an accident any more than it's accurate. The best path forward will be built on the truth.

And on a related note: Hobbiests are the solution, not the problem. The Reef Tank hobby is where interest and passion and desire for education are born in so many people. Those working to deal with issues affecting our reefs should be in deep partnership with the aquarist hobby, not using them as scape goats.

No one is using aquarist as scapegoats. Where did you read that?

Did you watch the video. Several bleaching events at that Great Barrier Reef which I was hoping one day to visit but mostly for its fishing.