Oceans are vital for our climate

More than 70% of our planet is covered in water. Almost all of it is saltwater – forming the earth's oceans. Oceans are not only a vital food source for wildlife and humans, but also have an incredible effect on our climate and its change by absorbing huge amounts of CO2.

Significance of coral reefs

Coral reefs cover less than 1% of the seafloor, yet are home to a quarter of all marine species. As they are in reach of sunlight, there is an abundance of life which all depends on the food and shelter provided by the corals.

Corals as symbiotic animals

Corals live in a symbiotic relationship with microscopic algae called Zooxanthellae. Zooxanthellae live in the corals' tissue, give some corals their color and produce nutrients for them through photosynthesis.

A disaster for the reef

When corals are stressed, they expel the Zooxanthellae from their tissue. They lose their main source of food and turn paler or white – this is called 'coral bleaching'. Now corals have to catch food with their polyps. If the stress is not removed, the Zooxanthellae does not return, and the corals eventually starve.

Reefs under assault

There are many stress factors for coral reefs:
high CO2 levels make the seas more acidic, rising water temperatures, overfishing, noise pollution are just a few others in a long list of causes. About half of all shallow coral reefs worldwide have already died.

Dahab and the Red Sea

Dahab is part of the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, Africa. The small town with its many coral reefs is very popular among divers.

Red Sea – special conditions

The Red Sea hosts many endemic species and has relatively high water temperatures to which its inhabitants have adapted. In the north, the Red Sea can easily reach 30° Celsius during summer. There are still many beautiful coral reefs to be found in Dahab – yet their condition is deteriorating.

Data collection – Reef Check

The data used in this project was collected in eight reefs between 2009 and 2019 by RSEC (Red Sea Environmental Center) with the help of volunteers. The structure of a coral reef is composed of living and non-living matter. Within the Reef Check project, this matter is divided into 10 substrate categories.

Data analysis and transparency

The data is normalized based on the total number of collected data points. If possible, a maximum of 160 data points (dp) are gathered in each survey. Some inaccuracies may occur during the data collection process. Nevertheless, there is a clear trend of an increase in algal cover.

Listen to a coral reef

Reef organisms produce sounds – both intentionally (to communicate, defend territory, attract mates) and unintentionally (moving, feeding). Sound is crucial for life in a vast ocean. Almost all marine organisms depend on a coral reef during certain periods of their life (e.g. for reproduction) and without its sounds, it is almost impossible to find. Animals use the sound of a reef as an indicator of its health. If coral reefs perish – fish, mammals and other organisms are lost in a silent sea – except for the noise pollution caused by human activity.

Substrate One by One

Choose a substrate type and see how the percentage share of coverage has changed from 2009 to 2019 in each reef.

% of increase or decrease per substrate between 2009 and 2019

Decreasing Condition of Coral Reefs

Choose a coral reef and see how the substrate composition changed between 2009 and 2019.

See the survey site

Choose a coral reef and see how its substrate composition changed between 2009 and 2019.

Algae are overgrowing corals and suffocating the reef organisms

WHAT CAN WE DO?

What we can do!

Here you can find selected links and articles which show you some options of what you can do. You can also find further reading on related topics. Let’s start making a change!

Going to Dahab?

Are you planning to go to Dahab? Here are a few things to keep in mind. Some of them also apply when going to the sea in general:
‍
(1) In order to conserve fish stocks and protect the fragile coral reef it is recommended not to eat fish.
‍
(2) Conventional sunscreen is harmful to corals. It contains chemicals like oxybenzone which can be absorbed by the corals and lead to bleaching. Use reef-safe mineral-based sunblocks, free of oxybenzone, which is also better for you!
(3) Try to reduce unnecessary plastic like straws or bags. Avoiding these in the first place will lead to less plastic ending up in the ocean.
‍
(4) As you can not drink the tap water, bring your own reusable bottle and refill from large water containers.
‍
(5) Most of Dahab's coastline is lined with fringing reefs (lots of hard corals). Ask locals where to safely enter for swimming and snorkeling in order to not damage any corals.

Reef Check

Reef Check is an international non-profit organization that ‘empowers people to save our reefs and oceans’. The data used within this project was also collected as part of the Reef Check project. Interested in joining?
Check out reefcheck.org.

ourplanet.com & seaspiracy.org

Our Planet is a Netflix original documentary series and a collaboration between WWF, Netflix and Silverback Films. It focuses not only on the health of our oceans but also on the whole planet. Here you can find a clip on 5 steps to help save our planet, tips on how you can make simple changes to your daily life today, as well as the interactive journey ‘Rewild. Rebalance. Recover.’ See what they suggest we all do: ourplanet.com
Seaspiracy is a film by Ali and Lucy Tabrizi and Kip Andersen. One of their main messages is that there is no such thing as sustainable fishing. Bycatch and a huge amount of plastics from disposed of fishing nets are only two of the biggest problems which are hardly ever talked about. So in order to save the oceans and the whole planet, they suggest choosing a plant-based diet. seaspiracy.org

Oceans of Noise

This podcast by wildlife sound recordist Chris Watson on Science Weekly, explains the influence of noise pollution on marine life. The third part focuses on the sound of coral reefs and how it allows conclusions concerning the condition of the reef. Marine biologist Tim Gordon describes a healthy reef as a ‘symphony of sound’ and the increasing silence of reefs as a prediction of their future. Many species start their lives as larvae in reefs, leave during adolescence and return as mature animals for reproduction. They find the reef by listening to and following its sound. Want to listen to the podcast? THEGUARDIAN.COM

Do you see the problem?

Transform awareness into change

Let’s dive in