Corals are economically significant due to their role in supporting biodiversity, protecting shorelines, and being major tourist attractions. Their decline due to human activities such as runoff and overfishing poses economic threats to coastal economies.
Corals are economically important for several reasons. They support a high level of biodiversity, offering shelter and food to a multitude of marine species. When corals perish, this biodiversity suffers greatly. Additionally, corals play a vital role in protecting shorelines by absorbing wave energy and thus reducing erosion.
This produces safer and more pleasant coastal environments, which contribute to the tourism industry, a significant source of income for many economies. Moreover, the photosynthetic corals that form coral reefs modify the environment and provide a structure that benefits numerous organisms.
The human impact on coral reefs has been significant, and the consequences are far-reaching. Increased runoff from sediment and agricultural chemicals due to human population growth has led to cloudier waters, harming the reefs. Alongside runoff, overfishing has affected the balance of marine life, allowing species that predate on corals to flourish. These actions have resulted in the decline of coral reefs, which threatens not only marine ecosystems but also the economic stability of coastal regions that rely on the health of these reefs.