Coral reefs are the rainforests of the sea, representing a diverse three-dimensional habitat, they support 25% of all marine life. Corals also shelter shorelines from rising sea levels, erosion and storms and are also critical life sources for indigenous coastal communities. Overfishing, climate change, and subsequent coral bleaching and ocean acidification events threaten coral reef survival.  This series represents the negative impact climate change and carbon emissions are wreaking on our coral reefs. As ocean water warms, corals are expelling the algae (zooxanthellae) living in their tissues, causing coral bleaching. While corals can  survive a bleaching event, they suffer stress from these events  and have a higher risk of mortality. With coral bleaching, ocean acidification –or the subsequent drop in seawater pH as the ocean is absorbing carbon dioxide–is also occurring. This results in a reduction of the availability of calcium minerals for corals to build and repair their reefs. 

Sources: NOAA Coral Reef Importance,NOAA Coral Reef Conservation