Most coral reefs in the Caribbean could stop growing, and even start eroding, by 2040 if global warming continues unchecked, a new study finds.  Coral reefs, especially those near shores, protect valuable coastlines from flooding during cyclones and storm surges by breaking up wave energy. For the reefs to continue to act as natural wave barriers, they need to grow fast enough to keep up with sea level rise. However, coral growth is increasingly under threat from diseases, pollution and the effects of climate change. Climate change, in particular, is causing a decline in reefs worldwide. Rising ocean temperatures are causing corals to bleach and die, making reefs more vulnerable to other threats. Meanwhile, higher carbon dioxide levels are making seawater more acidic, making it harder for corals to build their skeletons. Researchers who monitor coral reefs in the tropical western Atlantic or the Caribbean — including the Florida Keys, Mexico’s Caribbean coast and the Caribbean island of Bonaire — have observed the progressive decline in reef health due to diseases and extreme ocean heat over the last several decades, said Chris Perry, the study’s lead author and a professor at the University of Exeter, U.K. So, the researchers set out to find out how well reefs in the region will continue to grow as the climate warms. They first examined vertical sections of ancient fossil reefs, exposed by coastal uplifting. This allowed them to understand how different coral communities built reefs over time in the past, Perry said.  They…This article was originally published on Mongabay

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