In the 'circle of life', humans together with every other organism plays a significant role, coral reefs and mangroves aren't an exception. As we all know, coral reefs and mangroves are biologically rich and give beauty to our nature. However, it is important to know that they also plays a vital role in the ecosystem. They provide many services to the communities they support. Many organisms depend on coral reefs and mangroves for life and shelter. Also humans can't survive without an ecosystem.
People should protect coral reefs and mangroves for they are significant not only to humans but also to the environment. It is estimated that coral reefs provide $375 billion per year around the world in goods and services and at least 500 million people rely on coral reefs for food, coastal protection, and livelihoods. The importance of coral reefs and mangroves are:
Sustaining Tropical Marine Ecosystems
Provides Shelter to Marine Animals
Even though coral reefs cover less than 1% of the Earth’s surface, they are home to 25% of all marine fish species. Mangroves serve as valuable nursery areas or breeding grounds for fishes other marine organisms including the commercially important shrimp, crab and fish species. These habitats provide a rich source of food while also offering hideout from predation.
Primary Producers
Carbon Dioxide Sink
Coastal Protection
Coastlines around the world are facing serious problems of coastal erosion and threats of rising sea levels because of the global warming. To control them the nature has provided what we called as Mangroves, a tropical coastal ecosystem which is more dynamic than the sea itself and the coral reef that can be called as nature's defense mechanism to prevent coastal soil erosion and flooding. Mangroves protect shorelines from damaging storm and hurricane winds, waves, and floods. Mangroves also help prevent erosion by trapping sediments with their root systems. On the other hand, coral reefs are known to break the power of waves and reduce their intensity, in this way they protect coastal areas from destruction. Their value as "protector of shore-line" is enough to convince us for conserving them.
Fisheries
Medicinal Research
Coral reefs have been also used in the treatment of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, ulcers, and other ailments. A major discovery in the treatment of HIV infections is the medicine AZT that is based on the chemicals found in sponge reefs in the Caribbean and it highlights the potential of medicinal value of coral reefs. Mangrove leaves have also been used in tea and medicine.
Tourism
Other Resources
The coral reefs and mangroves maintain a balance of life near the shoreline. Many marine animals spend their lives in moving from mangrove ecosystems to sea grass beds and then coral reefs. The root systems of mangroves serve as a source of underground water ecosystem for them. The coral reefs lying at the bottom, protect the mangrove trees and sea grass beds from erosion by the waves.
Provides Shelter to Marine Animals
Even though coral reefs cover less than 1% of the Earth’s surface, they are home to 25% of all marine fish species. Mangroves serve as valuable nursery areas or breeding grounds for fishes other marine organisms including the commercially important shrimp, crab and fish species. These habitats provide a rich source of food while also offering hideout from predation.
Primary Producers
Coral reefs support the food chain by being a food for tropical fish and other marine animals that serve as food for animals, higher in the food chain. This maintains the balance of the ecosystem. Mangroves contribute about 3.65 tons of litter per hectare per year. This also enters the food chain of the coastal ecosystem.
Carbon Dioxide Sink
Like trees and plants are known to reduce our carbon levels, corals also help in reducing the effects of CO2. Like coral reefs, mangroves absorb air and water pollution, especially organic waste. They also refresh the air through the production of oxygen.
Coastal Protection
Fisheries
Many fishermen depend on coral reefs as their common income source and fishing industry either. They are useful for fishermen for they provide shelter, nutrition and habitat to almost a quarter of the world's fish and easy for fishing.
Medicinal Research
Coral reefs have been also used in the treatment of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, ulcers, and other ailments. A major discovery in the treatment of HIV infections is the medicine AZT that is based on the chemicals found in sponge reefs in the Caribbean and it highlights the potential of medicinal value of coral reefs. Mangrove leaves have also been used in tea and medicine.
Tourism
Coral reef destinations are recognized as the biggest tourist attractions, especially on islands like Maldives and Jamaica who totally depend on coral reefs for their economy. Though coral reef tourism is believed to be an alternative source of income for the poor coastal communities, none can assure how long a country will be able to preserve.
Other Resources
In other parts of the world, people have used mangrove trees as a renewable resource. They used as water-resistant wood, used in building houses, boats, pilings, and furniture. The wood of the black mangrove and buttonwood trees has also been used in the production of charcoal. "Tannins" and other "dyes" are extracted from mangrove bark.
The importance of coral reefs and mangroves are enough to convince human beings to preserve them. They maintain the balance of life for they support food chain, they serves as shelter for marine organisms, and they help in coastal protection. So we must protect them and use them properly.
