The coral reefs of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean are richly diverse ecosystems of global importance. These regions contain more than 10% of the world’s reefs and host hundreds of fish species, and they provide more than $6 billion in economic benefits courtesy of fisheries, tourism, and other ecosystem services. But over the past four decades, climate change and local stressors like overfishing, pollution, and invasive species have taken a heavy toll. On average, live coral covers less than 10% of the surface of most reefs in the region.
Click here for original story, Unchecked ocean warming threatens many Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean corals
Source: Phys.org