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EXPLAINER: What happens when coral reefs disappear?
Exposed corals are seen dying after the “coastal uplift” in Barangay Pangyan in Glan, Sarangani Province following the magnitude 7.8 earthquake last June 8, 2026. PHIVOLCS reported that the phenomenon, which raised the seafloor by about two meters and caused the retreat of the shoreline by 200 meters, is normal during strong earthquakes.
On June 8, 2026, a Magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Sarangani in Mindanao, killing and injuring several people not just in the province but also in other areas in the neighboring Davao Region. In addition, the tremor caused a coastal uplift in the towns of Glan in Sarangani and Jose Abad Santos in Davao Occidental, exposing coral reefs near the shore. Exposed corals will die alongside their resident marine organisms such as coral fish and shells.
However, coastal uplifts due to geological events are not the biggest threats to coral reefs. A report published on forbes.com on February 24, 2020, said that over the next 20 years, scientists estimate about 70 to 90% of all coral reefs will disappear primarily due to warming ocean waters, ocean acidity, and pollution. By 2100, there will be nearly zero suitable coral habitats remaining, eliminating nearly all living coral reef habitats.
What are coral reefs?
Coral reefs thrive in shallow, tropical waters created by huge colonies of organisms called coral polyps. Classified as animals, coral polyps—distant relatives of jellyfish and anemones—form both the hard and soft coral found in reefs. In short, a coral reef is a living creature.
Hard coral forms when polyps take calcium from the water and transform it into large skeletal, limestone structures—the building blocks of coral reefs. Soft coral, on the other hand, has a more plant-like appearance and sways with ocean currents. Instead of stony skeletons, they grow wood-like cores and thrive in nutrient-rich waters.
Threats to coral reefs in the Philippines
The Philippine archipelago is located at the northern corner of the Coral Triangle, home to 593 species of hard corals (IUCN, 2021). The most abundant type is the fringing reef, which develops along coastlines, although barrier reefs, atolls, and patch reefs are also found in Philippine waters.
Stressors affecting coral reefs include overfishing, pollution, and unsustainable tourism practices. A 2022 study on reefs in the Kalayaan Island Group found low coral diversity, indicating degraded conditions due to natural and human-induced stressors like blast fishing and dead coral rubble.
Another 2021 study noted that Philippine coral reefs face threats from overfishing, destructive fishing, coastal development, pollution, thermal stress (bleaching), and frequent typhoons.
What happens if coral reefs are lost?
Loss of habitat for marine life
Coral reefs, the “rainforests of the sea,” provide habitat for over one million species despite covering less than 1% of the ocean. Their loss means the disappearance of fish, turtles, and other marine life.
Collapse of coastal fishing industries
About one billion people depend on reefs for food and livelihood. The collapse of fisheries would strain seafood supply and land-based food production. In the Philippines, the fisheries sector directly or indirectly employs 2.29 million people (BFAR, 2024) and contributes significantly to the economy.
Coastal tourism economies would shrink
Reefs generate around $36 billion in global tourism revenue annually. Without them, tourist arrivals would drop, impacting local businesses like hotels, restaurants, and tour operators.
Less oxygen
Oceans produce 50-80% of Earth’s oxygen via plankton and bacteria. A healthy ocean—and healthy coral reefs—are essential for atmospheric oxygen.
(Research by H. Marcos C. Mordeno/MindaNews)
References:
- Forbes: Coral Reef Decline
- Reef-World: Coral Reef Basics
- Kalayaan Reef Study
- GCRMN Report
- SEAFDEC Fisheries Profile
- NOAA: Ocean Oxygen
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