Coral reefs: Centuries of human impact

Coral reefs account for one-third of all biodiversity in the oceans and are vital to humanity. But long-standing human stressors including agricultural run-off and overfishing and more recent ocean warming from climate change have all contributed to large-scale coral reef die-offs.

Media Coverage — Katie Cramer Lab

Great Barrier Reef - Senior Earth and Environmental Science

Global warming's extreme rains threaten Hawaii's coral reefs

Fossils help identify a lone 'bright spot' in a similar state to coral reefs before human impact

Study Finds Humans Have Been Hurting Reefs for Centuries

Tempe campus

Tempe campus

Caribbean coral reefs have been warming for at least 100 years

Caribbean coral reef decline began in 1950s and '60s from human activities

Caribbean coral reefs have been warming for at least 100 years

Report sounds an alarm on ongoing decline of US coral reefs

Media Coverage — Katie Cramer Lab

Location and extent of coral reefs mapped worldwide using advanced AI