Coral Reefs: Spills and Other Threats

Coral reefs are highly productive and diverse ecosystems that are not only beautiful, but are also very valuable economically and environmentally. Today, many coral reefs are suffering degradation from a variety of causes, including climate change, pollutants, overfishing, development, and physical disturbances. Coral habitats are also vulnerable to impacts from oil spills. Because these systems are fragile, we are especially careful to respond appropriately to spills or potential spills in these areas. By understanding how our actions can affect coral reef ecosystems, we can do a better job of protecting them from further harm.

For More Information

Coral Reefs and Oil Spills: A Guided Tour Get a basic overview of coral ecology, learn what types of things can harm coral, and see how responders must handle fragile coral reefs in their response and restoration efforts.

Oil Spills in Coral Reefs: Planning and Response Considerations Summarizes current research on coral reefs for oil spill response decisionmakers in coral reef regions. For readers with some science or response background.

Coral Reef Restoration Links Visit this section of our link catalog to view links to NOAA Web sites related to coral reef restoration efforts.

Characteristic Coastal Habitats: Choosing Spill Response Alternatives This is a job aid designed for anyone who needs to decide if, where, when, and how to remove oil from coastal habitats. An excerpt from this document, Subtidal Habitats: Coral Reefs, briefly describes coral reefs, their predicted behavior when oiled, and some response considerations.

Dispersants: A Guided Tour - Part 5 Coral reefs can be harmed by dispersed oil, so dispersant use in the vicinity of coral reefs is usually restricted to areas where dispersed oil is unlikely to contact coral.

Introduction to Coastal Habitats and Biological Resources for Spill Response Training manual covering physical, geological, and biological considerations relevant to oil spill response and cleanup. Chapter 3, Sensitivity of Coastal Environments to Oil, includes sensitivity information for coral reef communities (pp. 67-68).

IncidentNews News and information on current and historial spill incidents. [leaves OR&R site]

Abandoned Vessel Program Overview Abandoned vessels pose a significant threat to the NOAA Trust resources through physical destruction of coral habitats and dispersion of toxic chemicals and gear.

Downloadable Resources

Toxicity of Oil to Reef-Building Corals: a Spill Response Perspective A 2001 report that explores spill case histories, field studies, and experimental studies to assess the acute and chronic impacts of oil on coral. (Document format: PDF, size: 336.8 K)