NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information
Index
- Alaska Climate Divisions FAQs
- Anomalies vs. Temperature
- Arctic Sea Ice Measurements
- Billion-Dollar Disasters: Calculating the Costs
- Binomial Filter
- Climate Division Dataset Transition
- Climate Extremes Index
- CLIMAT Messages
- Climatological Rankings
- Coral Reef Bleaching
- Dead Fuel Moisture
- Definition of Drought
- Drought Indicators
- Drought in the Colorado River Basin
- Drought vs. Aridity
- El Niño: A Historical Perspective
- Explanation of the 500 mb Flow
- Future Drought
- Global Precipitation Percentile Maps
- Global Regions Definitions
- Global Temperature Anomaly Percentile Maps
- Global Temperature Uncertainty
- Groundwater Drought Indicators
- Hawaiʻi Climate Divisions FAQs
- LOESS
- Measuring Drought
- Monthly Releases
- Monthly Report RSS Feed
- nClimDiv Maximum and Minimum Temperatures
- Palmer Drought Index
- Potential Evapotranspiration
- Reforestation of Bastrop Lost Pines
- Regional Climate Centers
- Regional Snowfall Index (RSI)
- Satellite-Based Drought Indicators
- Soil Moisture Water Balance Models
- Southern Hemisphere Snow Cover Extent
- Standardized Precipitation Index
- Streamflow Drought Indicators
- Subtropical Highs
- Tornado Count
- U.S. Climate Divisions
- U.S. Climate Normals
- U.S. Drought Monitor Scale
- USHCN Version 2.5 Transition
- Water Supply vs. Water Demand
Coral Reef Bleaching
Coral reefs—sometimes called the "rainforests of the sea"—are found in oceans around the world. These ecosystems are incredibly diverse and provide food and shelter for countless marine species. Coral reefs also support coastal communities by protecting shorelines from erosion, supporting local fisheries, and driving tourism.
Today, coral reefs face serious threats from overfishing, pollution, ocean acidification, disease, and rising ocean temperatures. Warmer-than-average temperatures can stress corals, often leading to a phenomenon known as coral bleaching. When corals are stressed, they expel the colorful algae (called zooxanthellae) that live in their tissues and help them survive. This leaves the corals pale or completely white.
If ocean temperatures rise by just 1°-2°C (1.8°-3.6°F) above normal for a month or longer, it can cause widespread bleaching and, in many cases, lead to coral death. Even if corals survive, bleaching weakens them—making them more vulnerable to disease and reducing their ability to grow and reproduce. Experts estimate that heat-driven bleaching and disease have already destroyed nearly one-third of the world's coral reefs.
For information on current coral reef environment conditions, please visit NOAA's Coral Reef Watch (CRW).
