Need to protect coral reefs stressed

Coral reefs, the "rainforests of the ocean," are the spine of Abu Dhabi's biodiversity.

They are home to thousands of marine species and are believed to host between one and eight million undiscovered species of organisms. Despite the direct impact coral reefs have on economy and lifestyle, little is being done to protect them. An investigation report on coral reefs in the Abu Dhabi Emirate and eastern Qatar waters was recently completed, showing not only the status of corals, but also explaining why is it important to protect and conserve them. Abu Dhabi and eastern Qatar corals already grow in one of the most stressful environments for corals anywhere in the world, with sea temperatures varying up to 20 degrees Celsius between summer and winter time. In addition, the summers of 1996, 1998 and 2002 brought new thermal anomalies, when the sea experienced extreme temperatures. This has caused the death or near death of the majority of coral reefs. Some of the worst human provoked threats include climate change (rise in temperature, increasing carbon dioxide levels in seawater), naval activities and urban development. Reefs in the Gulf are close to major commercial shipping lanes and small or large shipping groundings as well as anchor dragging are destroying coral structures that took hundreds of years to form. Construction in Abu Dhabi's coastal area is creating further specific threats. Reefs around Abu Abyad island, Sir Bani Yas, Delma island, Jebel Dhana and Mubarraz have been subject to dredging and filling or damaged due to construction of petroleum installations.
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