is itself a loss of marine life, since reefs are living marine organisms themselves. What are some of the problem that reefs have experienced during the past decade? These are multiple. Warmer waters affected reefs by causing them to expel their symbiotic algae. As a consequence, some coral reefs bleached white. Disease became a major problem, as did silt, and overgrowth of seaweed. Finally, severe storms also did some damage. Overall, reefs were considered to be in grave danger, to such an extent that scientists declared 1997 the International Year of the Reef in order to highlight both the diversity and the problems of this ecosystem (Pennisi, 1997).
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