April 24th was Massachusetts Right Whale Day. A vertical puff of water vapor split the air on that bright, calm day in Cape Cod Bay off Provincetown’s Wood End Lighthouse. The V-shaped blow is not visible because the whale is positioned broadside to us. Most baleen whales have narrower spouts. With no dorsal fin and a brief glimpse of broad flukes—the whale’s tail—confirms the presence of a right whale, approximately 50 feet long.

A right whale releases a vertical spout off Provincetown’s Wood End Lighthouse on Massachusetts Right Whale Day.

Right whales are so rare that whale-watching vessels must stay at least 500 yards, or 1,500 feet, away so as not to disturb them. Right whales are like icebergs in freshwater, with most of their bodies hidden underwater. We watched the magnificent mammals from a distance.

Two right whales worked the shore along Herring Cove. Herring gulls showed no interest in the whales as they followed the fishing boat, heading for the harbor with the morning’s catch. Right whales eat zooplankton, straining small animals that drift in the water column with six-foot-long cartilage plates hanging down from the roof of the whale’s mouth. Hairs on baleen form a fine mesh that traps zooplankton inside, where the whale’s tongue, the size of a BMW Smart car, swipes and swallows.

A pair of right whales swim in synchronization, turning and rolling onto their right side to elevate the left side of their flukes above the water. A third whale follows closely behind the twisting whales.

Today, the whales are likely eating shoals of Calanus copepods that are corralled between them and the steeply rising shore. We saw between 12 and 17 right whales from Race Point, with its lighthouse, to Long Point, which has a lighthouse at the tip of the sandy finger at the end of the raised arm known as Cape Cod.

Further offshore from Herring Cove, a slim, long whale with a sharply curved dorsal fin blows, wheels, and dives. With many decades of experience, the whale-watch boat captain maneuvers closer and stops the engine as a second sei whale surfaces. Reaching as much as 60 feet, sei whales are the third largest whale in the world, preceded by blue and fin whales. Sei is Norwegian for pollack fish, as they were often seen together. 

A sei whale arches before diving — its slim frame and distinct dorsal fin barely breaking the surface.

The two dark, bluish-gray whales settle beneath the water beside the boat, the white of their undersides visible as they roll onto their sides. The roqual grooves along their pleated chin and cheeks distend. Still in the water, these whales let the plankton float into their mouths, or so we think, as we cannot see any plankton in the dark waters. They rose to breathe after a few minutes, which seemed to our astonishment like an eternity.

The first humpback whales of the season are found north of Race Point. Low in the water, they appear to be lounging about, perhaps taking it easy after a morning of feeding on sand lance. Last week, I found the pencil-thin fish on the Herring Cove beach, likely dropped by a gull. 

A humpback whale lies below the surface with its blowholes and dorsal fin above the water.

A humpback whale lies below the surface with its blowholes and dorsal fin above the water. To the right, a second whale stirs the water that laps over its back. 

The boat floats by the two humpback whales. Looking through the water, we see the whale’s 15-foot-long white flipper.  The scientific name for humpback whales is Megaptera novaeangliae, meaning large-winged New Englander.

We are startled to see a second flipper looming white beneath the whale. A third whale is stealthily poised directly below the whale on the surface.  When we saw two whales on the surface, there were really four humpbacks, surfacing two by two.

Later, all four whales were on the surface nearly at once. One rolled on its side to reach an enormous flipper to the sky. The narrator assured us that the whale was not waving. Whales slap the water to communicate with more distant whales, but there were no slapping sounds today.     

The whales slowly drifted beneath our vessel, revealing their entire outlines from above. Here, the tail fluke can be seen while the head and flippers are on the other side of the boat. The whales moved beneath us, from left to right and then from right to left, four times!

Finally, a humpback whale lifted its tail before diving. The black and white pattern on the underside was recognized as belonging to the female humpback named Habanero for the appearance of a chili pepper mark. Habanero is well known to the Dolphin Fleet of whale watch vessels. Habanero was observed with a calf in September 2012.  A second humpback was identified as Candlestick. The other two humpbacks never showed their tails.

The black-and-white tail fluke of Habanero, a known female humpback, rises above the bay before she dives deep once more.

Returning to the harbor, the right whales continued to forage along the shoreline. These whales are called urban whales because they come near our urban shores more often than others. Right whales do not migrate, except for females that give birth off Savannah and Jacksonville. The newborns have little blubber and require warm water. However, these clear waters offer little food. Therefore, right whales travel to Cape Cod Bay for the abundant shoals of zooplankton. They may stay for six weeks before spreading out across the North Atlantic.

Lobstermen do not trap during April and May along Massachusetts’ sandy shores and boat traffic consists of smaller vessels alert to right whales. The greatest threat to right whale survival is the diminishing availability of food. Our pollutants have caused phytoplankton productivity to drop by 60% since 2000. Copepods now have less fat content, requiring whales to consume more to obtain the same nutritional value.  

What we are doing to the land is harmful. We have crossed a tipping point by removing vegetation and soil, which hard surfaces and urbanization have replaced. There are cascading negative consequences. Boston’s annual rainfall is a steady 46.4 inches a year, yet, destructive stormwater and combined sewer overflows are rising because we have removed the vegetation and the soil carbon sponge.

Water that once soaked into the ground now washes across heat islands. It warms up and transports heat to the ocean. The year 2023 was not an exceptionally hot summer for Boston but it was the wettest summer since 1955. This resulted in a record warming of the Gulf of Maine surface waters nearest to Boston. While 2021 was Boston’s hottest summer, the surface ocean water did not experience significant warming.

Nutrients spilled into the sea fuel harmful algal blooms and ocean dead zones.  The ten-fold increase in the use of the herbicide Roundup since 1996, when Monsanto developed crops resistant to glyphosate, is likely more than coincidental to the loss of phytoplankton.

The solution to the threat to the ocean ecosystems on which whales depend lies on land. Land should be granted the right to retain the rainwater that falls upon it. Developers should not be permitted to profit from their constructions while leaving the municipality responsible for managing increased stormwater, likely leaving people in the flood zone standing in CSO sewage. 

The dry land heats up worsening climate change when developers starve the land of water.  Property owners must instead slow water down, return it to the ground where plants may draw to photosynthesize during the dry season, where groundwater may recharge rivers, and with water in the ground to prevent forest fires. Let’s improve the whale’s marine ecosystem with no more pollution, stormwater damage, and ocean heating from the land.

Returning past Race Point, a right whale raised its head high out of the water. Gray baleen plates hung beneath a white, encrusted black upper lip. In doing so, I don’t know what advantage was gained by the whale. I took it as a smile, as my smile was no less broad.

Nearly fifty years ago, on April 15, 1976, I was on the first Dolphin Fleet whale watch. We saw right whales and a humpback whale that the boat captain’s son would later name Salt when he became the boat captain. Since then, Salt has birthed 12 calves and is the grandmother of seven more humpback whales. There were then estimated to be 350 right whales. Today’s estimate is 372 whales, not including the ten calves born last winter.

I was on the first commercial whale watch because two summers earlier, I was alone on the deck of a 27-foot sailboat, south of Seguin Light off the coast of Maine. A right whale surfaced next to the boat. I babbled, having never imagined that something alive could be the size of a sandbar. The whale left only a circular slick spot on the water for the rest of the crew to see.

We are fortunate to be in the company of whales, which grace our sandy shores for about six weeks in spring. The loss of vegetation and soil on our properties and in neighborhoods is harming the marine ecosystem on which right whales depend to break their winter fast. To ensure future generations can share the ocean with a burgeoning right whale population, we must increase the carbon sponge on our land and stop stormwater runoff.  

Breathe. Wheel. Flukes up. Dive. Swim on, whales! 

Dr. Rob Moir is a nationally recognized and award-winning environmentalist. He is the president and executive director of the Ocean River Institute, a nonprofit based in Cambridge, MA, that provides expertise, services, resources, and information not readily available on a localized level to support the efforts of environmental organizations. Please visit www.oceanriver.org for more information.

More from Dr. Rob Moir

• Methane-Eating Bacteria & Archaea Saving Earth from the Ravages of Climate Change (and cattle burps)
• The Sultans of Swag Versus Looking at Clouds from Both Sides Now
• Restoring The Climate with Native Plants and Deeper Soils
• Hope for Right Whales
• Cooling the Gulf of Maine Surface Ocean Waters
• Touch the Earth Lightly, Use the Earth Gently
• Easter Island, Hard Work & Good Cheer for a Changing Climate-Challenged World
• Cooling Our Planet: New England’s Battle with Climate Change
• Land & Sea Change for Earth Day, Expanding The Climate Change Narrative
• The Earth and Three Blinkered Scientists
• Fallen Forests and Rising Ocean Fury
• What If There Was a Right Whale National Marine Sanctuary?
• Atlantic Ocean off Florida Spawns a Giant Sargassum Blob Due to Climate Change & Nutrient Pollution
• Emerald Bracelets to Solve Three of the World’s Greatest Environmental Problems
• Slowing Water for Greener Neighborhoods
• Put Down the Federal Stick to Build a Greener Future
• Of Mousy & Elephantine Cycles, Managing The Climate Crisis After Glasgow COP26
• Melting Greenland Ice Sheet, Sea Ice Formation, and the Flow of The Gulf Stream
• A Whale of a Pattern of Thought and Organizing Principle for Community-Based Environmental Management

A sunny day, clear skies, and warm sands. Relaxing at the beach can put one at ease and take all the troubles away. This picture asks a darker question: How much plastic can you find? During a beach cleanup, one group of volunteers collected two, one-gallon buckets weighing in at 20 pounds total. The majority of the culprits consisted of small plastic pieces (94 pieces smaller than an inch) and plastic bottle caps (42 pieces). Plastic entangled in seaweed and a nearby road means increased pollution heading out to sea. Those were just the plastics seen with the naked eye. What you think is sand could actually be bits of broken down plastic.

Most plastics have a significantly short time being used compared to how long they take to break down. A takeaway cup from our favorite coffee shops can take 30 years to break down, but that does not mean it goes away completely. They break down into smaller fragments and leach into our waterways. Microbeads were a hit with hygiene products, especially exfoliating face cleansers. Every day, people wash with face wash or exfoliating hand soap. The small plastic beads have a use for a minute or two before being washed down the drain. Water treatment plants only catch so much, with as much as 170,900 particles per kilogram reported in sewer sludge. Sewer sludge is a byproduct of waste treatment, consisting of semi-solid organic matter such as food waste, human waste, and contaminants. Sludge can be used in agriculture, meaning microplastics in sludge enter the environment. What does not end up in sludge goes into the water. Microbeads from cosmetics and skin care products slip through the treatment plants’ filters and make their way to the nearest outsource: ponds, lakes, and streams. Commercial and recreational fishing are also large contributors to plastic pollution in the ocean. Nylon nets and fishing line break or are improperly disposed of, increasing the chances of them being washed out to sea with the incoming tide.

Oceanic gyre locations

The macro- and micro-plastics that do not end up back on land are swept away by the ocean currents. The plastic gets caught in the middle of oceanic gyres, or large rotating currents, and floats together to create patches of plastic ‘land’. There are five major gyres: northern and southern Pacific Ocean, northern and southern Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean. They are located at the furthest points between land masses and are responsible for churning the ocean, making sure water flows across the globe. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, located between the Americas and Asia, has the highest concentration of plastic on Earth, measuring 1.6 million square kilometers as of 2021. Ocean currents meet and create a self-rotating system where warm water meets cold water. These currents carry buoyant materials with them, which get trapped in the gyre. Once there, both macro- and micro-plastics sit static, degrading over time from the sun’s heat which introduces chemicals to the water and increases chances of ingestion. Marine animals not only eat plastic, but get trapped in nets, bags, and other plastic pieces floating loosely on these masses. Entanglement of marine mammals can alter behavioral characteristics, like decreased success with foraging and limiting mobility, or cause physical stress, causing abrasions and asphyxiation. If the animal is unable to untangle itself, it will grow with the plastic around them which leads to increased stress and mortality.

Macro- and micro-plastics in water systems are mistaken for food throughout the trophic levels. Located at the bottom of the food web are zooplankton. They mistake microplastic as food items and consume them, which then are eaten by fish and crustaceans. Larger predators consume their prey items until there is nowhere left to go. This causes harm to multiple species since plastic uptake accumulates through the trophic levels, or where an organism is in the food chain like in Figure 3. Research observed an equal amount of microplastic intake compared to food items in cod located in northern Alaska. The cod are not getting the nutrients they need to survive, leading to decreased health, blocked intestinal systems, and ultimately increased mortalities. For animals who rely on cod to meet their dietary and nutritional needs, there is a lack of nourishment if the cod only eats plastic. This is such a common phenomenon that researchers now take plastic into consideration when building food webs, introducing new systems solely based on plastic movement through the ecosystem. Moving up the food web, marine birds are affected by microplastics as they eat fish and use them to feed their young. Like fish, birds can also mistake plastic pieces on the beach as prey. Marine birds take in food near the ocean’s surface, and studies dating back as far as the 1960s have shown plastic in their intestinal tracts. A study in 1969 documented stomach contents of 100 Laysan albatross (Diomedia immutabilis) carcasses. Approximately 94% of the objects were buoyant, with 30% being documented as plastic. In the span of 50 years, however, increased plastic means increased consumption and more species affected.

While humans do not consider themselves animals, they are part of the same food web all wildlife partakes in. Humans are high in the food chain, farming fish in artificial ponds similar to how cows are farmed for beef; this action is referred to as aquaculture. Aquatic food items are diet staples for some cultures, and tracing plastic through the food chain can help us find which, if any, specific marine species are microplastic sources. On small islands, humans use the soil itself as food, including it in spices, marinades, and bread. A study conducted in 2022 observed plastic in all soil samples on the island of Hormoz, located close to Iran. A significant amount of these plastics were fibrous materials that came from local or tourist clothing.

Single-use plastics break down over time, allowing microplastics to seep into our bodies and our ecosystems. Reusing plastic containers and bottles is harmful to a person’s health. The amount of microplastics in our waterways makes the simple act of consuming salt or drinking water from the tap hazardous, increasing one’s plastic intake. Research shows a single person ingests as much as millions of microplastics in a year, and a study conducted in 2021 found microplastics, a completely man-made material, inside women’s placentas. The plastics were linked to dyes, colorants, and stains that are found in finger paints, clothing, and air fresheners. We are contaminated before we are even born. Once inside the body, plastics break down and become part of the system, inhibiting metabolism and increasing obesity risk.

Demand for plastic has been steadily rising across the globe since its creation in 1907. From the smallest creeks to the largest oceans, plastic is found in all water bodies. However, we see little improvement in recycling methods. Each type of plastic may require a different way to recycle it due to its chemical makeup. It is important we work more efficiently and effectively to control our plastic pollution. Increasing recycling centers as well as the efficiency of existing centers can decrease microplastic pollution. Organizations like Alliance for the Great Lakes can help clean up plastics already on coastlines and beaches. Ocean Cleanup, a nonprofit organization, uses metal grates to catch debris in rivers, as well as patrol with nets in the ocean to catch stray rubbish. However, it is up to the individual to take the initiative as well. Whether it is a park, beach, or shopping mall, it is important to dispose of rubbish appropriately. Even if it is not yours, it would help the environment if you took it with you to throw it away in the proper receptacles. We must all do our part to keep the Earth plastic-free.

About the Author
Sara Dzialowy is an Aquarist Intern at OdySea Aquarium and a Master’s student in the Art of Biology through Project Dragonfly at Miami University-Ohio and Brookfield Zoo. With a focus on aquatic conservation and public education, she is passionate about inspiring others to protect marine life.

References

• Alliance for the Great Lakes (n.d.) About Alliance for the Great Lakes. https://greatlakes.org/about/
• Amiri, H., Hoseini, M., Abbasi, S., Malakootian, M., Hashemi, M., Jaafarzadeh, N., Turner, A. (2022). Geophagy and microplastic ingestion. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis. 106, 104290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2021.104290
• Azzarello, M. Y., van Vleet, E. S. (1987). Marine birds and plastic pollution. Marine Ecology – Progress Series. 37. 295-303. https://www.int-res.com/articles/meps/37/m037p295.pdf
• Baekeland, L. H. (1910). Bakelite, a condensation product of phenols and formaldehyde, and its uses. Journal of the Franklin Institute. 55-60. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0016-0032(10)90300-1
• Baheti, P. (n.d.). How is plastic made? A simple step-by-step explanation. British Plastics Federation. https://www.bpf.co.uk/plastipedia/how-is-plastic-made.aspx
• Bayo, J., Martinez, A., Guillen, M., Olmos, S., Roca, M. J., Alcolea, A. (2017). Microbeads in commercial facial cleansers: Threatening the environment. CLEAN – Soil, Air, Water. 45(7). https://doi.org/10.1002/clen.201600683
• Butterworth, A. (2016). A review of the welfare impact on pinnipeds of plastic marine debris. Frontiers in Marine Science. 3. 149. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2016.00149
• Diepens, N. J., Koelmans, A. A. (2018). Accumulation of plastic debris and associated contaminants in aquatic food webs. Environmental Science & Technology. 52. 8510-8520. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.edt.8b02515
• Greenly, C., Gray, H., Wong, H., Chinn, S., Passmore, J., Johnson, P., Zaidi, Y. (2021). Observing and tracking the great Pacific garbage patch. Small Satellite Conference. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5096&context=smallsat
• Iyare, P. U., Ouiki, S. K., Bond, T. (2020). Microplastics removal in wastewater treatment plants: a critical review. Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology. 6. 2664-2675. 10.1039/D0EW00397B
• Kannan, K., Vimalkumar, K. (2021). A review of human exposure to microplastics and insights into microplastics as obesogens. Frontiers in Endocrinology. 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2021.724989
• Kirstein, I., Gomiero, A., Vollertsen, J. (2021). Microplastic pollution in drinking water. Current Opinion in Toxicology. 28, 70-75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cotox.2021.09.003
• Nelms, S. E., Duncan, E. M., Patel, S., Badola, R., Bhola, S., Chakma, S., Chowdury, G. W., Godley, B. J., Haque, A. B., Johnson, J. A., Khatoon, H., Kumar, S., Napper, I. E., Niloy, M. N. H., Akter, T., Badola, S., Dev, A., Rawat, S., Santillo, D., Sarker, S., Sharma, E., Koldewey, H. (2021). Riverine plastic pollution from fisheries: Insights from the Ganges River System. Science of the Total Environment. 756. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143305
• Olmo-Gilabert, R., Fagiano, V., Alomar, C., Rios-Fuster, B., Compa, M., Deudero, S. (2024). Plastic webs, the new food: Dynamics of microplastics in a Mediterranean food web, key species as pollution sources and receptors. Science of the Total Environment. 918. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170719
• Provencher, J. F., Borrelle, S. B., Bond, A. L., Lavers, J. L., van Franeker, J. A., Kuhn, S., Hammer, S., Avery-Gomm, S., Mallory, M. L. (2019). Recommended best practices for plastic and litter ingestion studies in marine birds: Collection, processing, and reporting. Facets. 4(1). 111-130. https://doi.org/10.1139/facets-2018-0043
• Ruiz, S. (2024). Giant nets to clean garbage from the ocean. The New Atlantis. 78. 86-88. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27332601
• World Wildlife Fund Australia (2021) The lifecycle of plastics. https://wwf.org.au/blogs/the-lifecycle-of-plastics/
• Yang, W. (2015). Through the gyre: A review on ocean plastic pollution in the great Pacific garbage patch. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 1-4.

Tropical Tragedies and Reef Resilience

Picture yourself, snorkeling underneath crystal blue waters with tropical fish off the coast of a tropical island. Above you, the sun is shining with a slight breeze, and below you, is a beautiful ecosystem with every color of the rainbow. Besides being beautiful, coral is endangered. The top threat to coral reefs currently is climate change and global warming. In the evolutionary sense, it is unknown to what extent coral can adapt to the warming oceans (Császár et al., 2010). Unfortunately, the toll the Anthropocene has left is a concern for coral reefs due to their environmental sensitivity resulting in coral bleaching (Torda et al., 2017). Coral bleaching will occur if the temperatures rise only 1.5 degrees Celsius (Tropical corals , n.d.). Tropical coral reefs make up one percent of the ocean but help to support a quarter of the ocean making it a vital ecosystem (Tropical corals , n.d.).

The three major types of coral are fringing reefs, barrier reefs, and atolls. Fringing reefs grow in shallow waters and border a coast closely or can be separated by a narrow stretch of water (Goreau et al., 1979). As their name suggests, barrier reefs are on a coast but they tend to be parallel to a coast and farther away, perhaps the most famous one is Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Finally, atolls are chains or rings of coral islands that are encompassing a lagoon, which many can be round on volcanic cones (Goreau et al., 1979).

The Anatomy of Coral and Coral Proteins

Corals are well-known for their bright coloration caused by fluorescent proteins which are found in four color types which include green, red, cyan, and a blue/purple non-fluorescent chromoprotein (Palmer et al., 2009). Fluorescent proteins are plentiful within anthozoans, which includes sea anemones, sea fans, corals, and sea pens (Palmer et al., 2009). Their proteins live in their calcium carbonate skeleton with an algae they used to create food called zooxanthellae which also helps to give them color (Palmer et al., 2009). Most coral live in a symbiotic relationship with zooxanthellae, as the algae is dependent on coral for a habitat and coral uses the algae for photosynthesis (US Department of Commerce, N. O. and A. A., n.d.). Zooxanthellae creates dissolved oxygen under normal conditions, but once there is any stress like thermal stress (like climate change), an increase of oxidative stress can be created in the host or the symbiont, resulting in coral expelling zooxanthellae, or coral bleaching (Palmer et al., 2009).

Is Coral Really Affected That Much?

The short answer is YES!

 

Coral Adaptations

Climate change has increased in the past 20 years, usually during El Nino Southern Oscillation which happens every two to seven years (Coles & Brown, 2003). During El Nino, the water warms and the normal conditions of cold, nutrient dense water that usually upwell stop or weaken resulting in fewer phytoplankton off the coast, resulting in more tropical species (US Department of Commerce, N. O.A. A. ,n.d.). La Nina or “a cold event”, pushes colder waters north into the Pacific Ocean, resulting in the southern United States being drier and flooding or heavy rains in Canada or the Pacific Northwest (US Department of Commerce, N. O.A. A.,n.d.). Since coral is very sensitive to temperature changes and once the seawater temperatures rise, coral bleaching can occur during El Nino’s warmer temperatures (Coral & Brown, 2003). Coral reefs prefer to live between 73° and 84° Fahrenheit though some can tolerate temperatures as low as 68° F and as high as 90° F (Coral Reef Alliance, n.d.) Unfortunately, while reporting ongoing temperature analysis, NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) stated the average global temperature has increased by at least 1.1 degree Celsius or 1.9 degree Fahrenheit since 1880 (NASA, 2020). Since 1975, it has occurred at approximately 0.15 to 0.20 °C (NASA. 2020).

Some corals have adapted to stressful conditions. For example, Acropora has experienced a rapid evolution of proteins that are responsible for interaction with the environment that appears to promote adaptive processes (Gittens et al., 2015). Acropora Hyacinthus is associated with protective proteins that have heat resistant and heat-shock proteins and antioxidant enzymes that are beneficial to them as well (Gittens et al., 2015). In response to the elevated levels, anthozoans (corals) have antioxidant enzymes, for example, superoxide dismutase that assist in catalyzing changing superoxide anion to water and hydrogen peroxide (Palmer et al., 2009). Corals need light for photosynthesis with zooxanthellae; however, there are some coral species that do not have zooxanthellae, for example Lopoholelia, a colonial branching coral, that lives in the deep, cold waters in Norway’s fjords that can tolerate lower salinities, lower temperatures, and great depths (Goreau et al., 1979).

Coral Survival
Coral is in desperate need of assistance and there are multiple options available.

Marine biologists and divers can take part in fragmentation of coral reefs to assist in growing the reefs. The three different types of coral restoration are coral gardening, larval seeding, and reef balls. Coral gardening is fragmentation to assist corals in growing asexually, growing a coral clone. The colonies will continue to be fragmented for further growth and cloned multiple times in underwater nurseries and transported to a reef ( Meesters et al., 2015).

Larval seeding is the process when large amounts of coral eggs and sperm are collected in the field with sexual fertilization or reproduction in the lab, resulting in coral growing a certain size before being transported to a reef (Meesters et al., 2015). Finally, reef balls are concrete structures that provide a design for protection for fish as well as a possible attachment for organisms like coral (Meesters et al., 2015).
In 2023, there was an unprecedented coral bleaching event in Florida which assisted NOAA in learning more about how to assist corals (NOAA confirms 4th global coral bleaching event | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2024).

NOAA moved some of the corals to deeper waters and moved sunshades over some of the coral nurseries (NOAA confirms 4th global coral bleaching event | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2024). Coral research is definitely necessary in order for coral survival. Some scientists are considering building coral reef resilience through scientific assisted evolution (Torda et al., 2017). In Australia, the Great Barrier Reef Foundation is growing cross-bred heat resistant corals as well as cryopreservation technologies to help save coral reefs (Restoring coral reefs,2024).

Some scientists are considering building coral reef resilience through scientific assisted evolution (Torda et al., 2017). In Australia, the Great Barrier Reef Foundation is growing cross-bred heat resistant corals as well as cryopreservation technologies to help save coral reefs (Restoring coral reefs,2024).

Why Should We Care? How Can We Help?

There are many benefits coral reefs provide protection and food for thousands of species of fish, but are also important for humans for tourism, livelihood, food, and protection (US Department of Commerce, N. O. and A. A, n.d.). Coral reefs are essential to the ecosystem but are being destroyed by multiple threats to them including climate change, ocean acidification, pollution, physical damage, overfishing, or coral harvesting (US EPA, 2017). While some coral species have been able to adapt in small ways there is still a lot that can be done, and ways that we can help, even if we are not near an ocean. For example, a way we can slow down climate change in the rising ocean temperatures is by reducing chemical fertilizers, properly disposing of trash, recycling, saving energy at home by using energy efficient devices, and being cautious when diving or snorkeling (US EPA, 2017).
There are many dive programs, education events, internships, or citizen science programs that are specifically related to coral, like the Coral Restoration Foundation (Coral restoration foundation | United States, n.d.).

But How Do I Know What Sunscreen To Pick?

At this time, it has become pretty common to hear the term “reef-safe sunscreen” or “mineral-based” sunscreen. But what does it really mean? There are no strict definitions or guidelines and when further researched, interesting results were undercovered. Hawaii and the Florida Keys have issued legislative bans on oxybenzone and octinoxate-containing sunscreen. However, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (or NOAA) would like stricter enforcement, noting that eight chemicals are toxic to coral but used in sunscreen.

When deciding which sunscreen to choose, you want to make sure it is healthy for coral reefs. Even if a sunscreen says “reef-friendly” there are still some ingredients to be aware of. Since legislation has not been passed in any of the United States for all of the chemicals, you may have to research a bit to find that perfect match! There are some organizations like Save The Reef and the Coral Restoration Foundation (Coral restoration foundation | united states. (n.d.) that have up to date information and examples of sunscreens that are reef safe. While it may be hard to remember the list of chemicals that pose a threat, the easiest way to remember is that you want to stay away from it is a small way we can help coral, even if we are landlocked.

Coral is in desperate need of assistance and even with adapting it still may not be able to survive the rising temperatures. Coral reefs are animals that are silently dying and without a voice, they need our help and assistance to be saved. It is our fault that they are being bleached, and in order to accelerate protection marine biologists are creating efforts to protect the oceans and help them to adapt to climate change. The detrimental effects of the anthropocene can be witnessed by the bleaching white corals or felt in the hot summer days that are no longer sustainable for coral reefs. Coral reefs have adapted slowly, but without assistance, it may be a rush against time to restore coral reefs in rising temperatures. So why should we care about coral reefs? The truth is that they are a beautiful animal in our oceans but that is not all. Coral contributes to biodiversity, tourism, coastal protection, food, and medicine to name a few. Now is the time to step forward and not only be in awe of them but help to insure the vital ecosystem thrives.

About the Author

Drew Vickers is a current graduate student with Project Dragonfly at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio studying conservation biology. Her current studies focus on engaging others about endangered species.

 References Cited

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