Distribution of coldwater and tropical coral reefs
Coral reefs are marine ridges or mounds, which have formed over millennia as a result of the deposition of calcium carbonate by living organisms, predominantly corals, but also a rich diversity of other organisms such as coralline algae and shellfish. The coldwater reefs are highly susceptible to deep-sea trawling and ocean acidification from climate change, which has its greatest impacts at high latitudes, while tropical reefs will become severely damaged by rising sea temperatures.
Year: 2008
From collection: In Dead Water - Climate Change, Pollution, Over-harvest, and Invasive Species in the World's Fishing Grounds
Cartographer: Hugo Ahlenius, UNEP/GRID-Arendal