The Beginning

The Beginning What & Why?

Let’s dive in the secrets of underwater world of corals.

Research and information collection through reports and articles shared on the official websites and by the marine organisations.

Overview of Corals

What are corals?

They are the underwater ecosystem, habitat of thousands of marine species, formed by coral polyps which are connected with calcium carbonate to form a reef. Coral polyps are held by calcium carbonate which helps them to construct a huge structure into a reef. Polyps grow slowly by forming different shapes and sizes as per their species.

The single-celled algae that live in their tissues use sunlight to break down it into sugar to feed the polyps, in return corals are providing algae a safe environment to live in, this is often said as a symbiotic relationship called mutualism, that benefits both corals and the algae.

Corals have green-brown color from the algae, but many corals appear more colorful and brighter. Why? Because they also produce protein pigments, which can have a variety of colors that reflects purple, blue, green, and red, also some of the pigments turn corals into fluorescent. They absorb one color of light from the spectrum and reflect the other color instead of what they absorb for example if they absorb the blue color then they might reflect it into Green or Red. color then they might reflect it into Green or Red.

Why are they depleting?

Causes of destruction

Well, there are many causes of depletion which ranges from global to local impacts, but here are a few of them which are mostly highlighted as the cause of depletion.

Because of the Ocean warming, Global warming, and Greenhouse gas emission, and rising temperature of waters that are leading to coral bleaching and ultimately murdering them in the water itself. They are disturbed directly by physical damages that include dredging, quarrying, boat anchors, recreational misuse, lack of knowledge (they must not be touched or removed), and local causes like the methods of fishing that include Blast Fishing or overfishing which are making the most destruction of corals.

Even Pollution originates on land but it somehow reaches the waters, as there are many activities on land which are the direct source of pollution to the water regions where they are exposed to waste, chemicals and plastics.

They have become vulnerable to the effects of human activities, both from direct exploitation of these resources and through indirect impacts from Human activities on their land and in the coastal areas, many of the human-made activities contaminate the coral reefs which are tangibly woven through the social-cultural and economic condition of regional or coastal communities.

What are people doing?

Here are some of the studies that showcases the work of other people for the welfare or conservation of corals around the globe.

Precedent Study

Hi Fly, Mirpuri Foundation

Hi fly, airline drew a heart in the sky as a final tribute to the Mirpuri Foundation and the “Save the Coral Reefs” campaign, raising awareness of the need to protect our oceans, that showcased painted marine ecosystem on airbus where one side represent marine life and other destroyed corals which also exhibited a strong statement of cause and the urgency to act and inspire the change of collective behaviors. (world, 2020)

Ceramic Coral Reef

ARTIST COURTNEY MATTISON DETAILS THE BEAUTY, AND BLEACHING, OF CORAL REEFS

Courtney Mattinson made beautiful coral sculptures on wall with these fragile looking structure that represent the bleaching, depletion of corals from colorful and diverse, too sickened as a result of human-caused climate change. (Earthday.org, 2020)

Coral Arena

OMA, charlotte Taylor and Nicholas Preaud present NFT of the ‘coral arena’ sculpture in Miami

Coral arena, Is a nft of coral sculpture. The idea of reef line was an underwater sculpture park that provide habitat to endangered species and protect coastline of Miami. When rigidly geometric sculpture blooms from natural growth of corals on its surface will create a new corals ecosystem. (designboom)

Mulyana’s Fragile Ecologies

The Indonesian artist continues his playful and eccentric approach to marine life conservation.Artist creates installation of figures with cloaked corals and algae from fibres for marine conservation. His inspiration embark from climatic issues and isolation. (Mulyana)

Snapchat

SNAPCHAT + GREAT BARRIER REEF FOUNDATION LAUNCH CAMPAIGN TO PROTECT WORLD’S LARGEST REEF SYSTEM

Environmental pledge in Augmented Reality (AR) via a unique Water Segmentation Lens. The Lens demonstrates the impact of climate change on the Reef, and how Aussies can act to help protect it. (GREEN, 2021)

Reef Design Lab

Reef designlab is a design company that creates coastal habitat infrastructure and artificial reefs. They develop techniques for enhancing the ecological performance of marine structures and the idea is to enhance performance of corals ecosystem. (Lab, n.d.)

An Underwater Art Museum

Artist Jason deCaires Taylor is creating sculptures to help promote reef growth. By submerging huge sculptures in the ocean with the intention that everything that is submerged underwater will eventually have coral growing on, or around it. (Taylor, n.d.)

Playing for the Planet Alliance

The online game showcases the plight of our planet’s disappearing coral reefs. Integrating green activation in games, reducing their emission.

UNEP has been working with the gaming industry to explore how, through their massive reach, they can inspire young people to learn and act in support of the environment. (programme, n.d.)

Why should I care?

Why should i care about corals, How are these anyway important to us?

Coral is a treasure

Coral is a part of the marine ecosystem which is the home of thousands of species and living organisms underwater, they are existing for 400 million years which is an ancient as well as unique in itself, they are the largest ancient structure on earth within the biological origin and the most complex system. What it will be like living without trees or a home likewise fishes depend on the corals and corals in return protect them Coral sustains biodiversity it also protects the coastlines from a hurricane or natural disaster rising from the sea, it has an economic significance which provides employment and earnings for locals, tourism, and extremely essential source of medication that treat some of the life taking diseases like cancer, arthritis, and cardiac diseases.

What can we do about it?

Conservation programmes, campaign happening everywhere but awareness for the corals are still lacking and to take action

Initial Possibilities

Ways To Preserve

•Conservation of water, reduce pollution by doing our part as much as possible

•Educating the young generation about the important resource of our world

•Cutting carbon emissions and limiting the use of chemicals

•Reduce activities like over or blast fishing, waterfront development and opposing dredging projects near reef

•Promoting the brands, organisations working for corals welfare.

•Stop overfishing as fishes can be sustainably sourced

Initial Mediums to Preserve

•People must evidence the beauty and appearance of worlds largest biological structure while experiencing what are corals one must emotionally attach with the causes.

•Campaigns, Social gathering promoting the talks about why is coral important, what is our role towards them

•Educating through storytelling which can even possible through various mediums or arts where one can experience the life of corals and the marine organism habitat

•Supporting companies who are actively working to reduce emission.