How Local Pollutants Affect Coral Reefs in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu

Abstract

Coral reef ecosystems are responsible for absorbing one third of the carbon dioxide in our atmosphere as well as releasing 50% of our oxygen. Coral reefs provide nursery habitats for marine fishes, create income for coastal communities, and protect our coastlines from erosion and hazardous weather. Corals are colonial animals. There are two types of corals, hard and soft corals. Hard corals separate calcium ions from the seawater and move them into a calcifying space between the polyp and its calcareous skeleton, and this is how reefs are formed. Calcareous skeletons build massive reefs that provide habitat for a large number of species. Soft corals do not create a calcareous skeleton and therefore cannot form a reef, however they are still present in reef ecosystems. Sadly, our reefs are in danger because of human activities along the coast (“What are Corals?”). In particular, the coral reefs in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu are suffering immensely from local pollutants that are creating harmful algal blooms and wiping out species from the bay. Kaneohe Bay is on the northeastern shore of Oahu. The bay is about 12.8 km long and has an area of 56.7 km2. Kaneohe Bay reefs are important because they help protect the Oahu coastline, support local economies, and create an ecosystem with a high biodiversity. Since the 1900s, Kaneohe Bays’ reefs have experienced dredging, bleaching, sewage spills, invasive species and more that are destroying the ecosystem. Each of these issues is caused by humans living along the coastline, and can easily be prevented to create a safer environment in the bay for the reef to be able to thrive. This paper looks at the local pollution in Kaneohe Bay that causes detrimental impacts on the coral reef ecosystem such as species extinctions, harmful algae blooms, coral bleaching, and much more.