in a 2008 study, researchers estimated what percentage of the world's coral reefs had already been destroyed. It also concluded that much of the wreckage to reefs has been caused by humans. “Coral cover in the Florida Keys is like at 3 percent.” “This single event represents the mass destructive force that global climate change can have on coral reefs,” said Thurber. A recent study in the journal Science Advances analyzed maps of the Florida Keys dating to the 18th century that noted the locations of coral reefs, … Read the excerpt from "Save the Coral Reefs." Unfortunately, people also pose the greatest threat to coral reefs. A study completed in 2004 found that seventy percent of our coral reefs are already destroyed or currently under threat of destruction. underfishing. although only a small percentage of the ocean floor, coral reefs provide all the following benefits except. More than 60% of coral in reefs in the Maldives has been hit by “bleaching” as the world is gripped by record temperatures in 2016, a scientific survey suggests. The decline of coral reefs has been well documented, reef by reef. Coral reefs are also very important to people. The resiliency of the reefs is on our side, though. The Status of Coral Reefs Around the World, 2004 notes that: 20% of the world’s coral reefs have been effectively destroyed and show no immediate prospects of recovery; Oceans have warmed because of climate change, and that’s caused devastating coral … 19. A major survey of the coral reefs of the Caribbean is expected to reveal the extent to which one of the world's biggest and most important reserves of coral has been degraded by … Coral reefs aren’t just beautiful underwater fixtures that make the ocean more colorful and vibrant—they’re integral to the survival of many species of marine life. The study found that sediment buried between half to 90 percent of nearby reefs, resulting in widespread coral death. providing significant oxygen. coral reefs are being damaged or destroyed by all the following except. But concerns about coral reefs have been raised for many years around the world. In fact, there’s been a 30 percent increase in the area of threatened reefs. The value of coral reefs has been estimated at 30 billion U.S. dollars and perhaps as much as 172 billion U.S. dollars each year, providing food, protection of shorelines, jobs based on tourism, and even medicines.