Land destruction proves as deadly as oil spills for coral reefs

Coastal areas are experiencing growing development, which can pose as a potential ecological risk to coral reefs.

According to Reef Resilience Network, more than 40% of the world’s population lives within 100 kilometers (km) of the coast. This puts increased pressure on the sensitive environment on the land as well as in the water.

According to Frontiers in Marine Science, coral reefs that are downstream of land disturbed by construction show signs of poor health. Scientists have observed tissue degradation, low larval production and survival, as well as other signs.

Bahia Las Minas habitats in the central Caribbean coast of Panama were studied after an oil spill. These same areas were compared to other areas that didn't experience an oil spill, but they were in areas of development. The habitats in areas with development showed comparable coral reef numbers.

"Monitoring these coral reefs was complex, exhausting and intense due to the large spatial scale of the project," Héctor M. Guzmán, STRI marine ecologist, told the Smithsonian Institute. "Originally, we compared the contaminated refinery area with uncontaminated reef systems about 50 km to the east between Portobelo and Isla Grande."

Guzmán also said coral reefs along the central Caribbean coast in Panama don't stand a chance, according to the Smithsonian Institute. 

"The coral reefs along Panama's central Caribbean coast are practically doomed by coastal development," Guzmán told the Smithsonian Institute. "If unplanned development continues on the rise, they may continue to survive, but without any substantial recovery."

Many aspects of land use threaten the health of coral reefs. Up to 25% of reefs are threatened due to agriculture run off, according to Frontiers in Marine Science.

Scientists advocate for land-use planning to best protect coral reef populations. One study showed that forest conservation was 500 times more effective than similar, yet lower-impact watershed conservation.

There are several key ecological processes involved in land and coral symbiosis, according to Frontiers in Marine Science. One is fresh water regulation, with coastal lands helping to maintain the right salinity balance to maintain life.

Coastal lands can also help to mitigate contaminants in the water and are necessary habitats to native species.