Why are coral reefs in peril?
Coral reefs can be damaged by natural processes, such as storms, but they are increasingly at risk from human activities. Coral reef health can be seriously affected and the growth of new colonies hampered by fi ne-grained sediment transported from land into coastal waters as runoff. This sediment runoff can be greatly increased by nearby land developments for agriculture, industry, and housing. Light necessary for photosynthesis by symbiotic algae living in corals is diminished in waters made cloudy or turbid by suspended sediment, reducing coral productivity.
