Potential New Threat For Coral Reefs And Health Of Communities In The Tropics

[Frankie]

ScienceDaily (Sep. 9, 2008) — Human activities bear a large part of the responsibility for coral reef degradation. Several threats hang over this complex ecosystem with its extraordinary biodiversity, whether in the form of anthropogenic effluents emitted at certain times or global warming which causes coral bleaching.
The dead corals can be colonized by a blanket of algae in turn favouring colonization by dinoflagellates of the Gambierdiscus genus. These microorganisms secrete a toxin which the reef fish ingest when they feed. Then when humans eat the flesh of contaminated fish they fall victim to an infection called Ciguatera.
Potential New Threat For Coral Reefs And Health Of Communities In The Tropics

[reefsmoker]

Wow frank.... some serious food for thought. Great info, but dis-hearting.....too many people take it all for granted.