Two rarts or tne oame otory 



By Pam Smith 



Ee biodiversity of a coral reef often is compared to that of a tropical rain forest. 

 Bountiful. Lavishly beautiful. Teeming with life. Rich enough in resources to feed 

 and heal Earth's six billion souls. 



Now, add "threatened" to the list of similarities. 



Scientists estimate that in recent decades more than one-third of the world's 

 coral has been destroyed or degraded, and that half of its original rain forest cover 

 has disappeared. 



Increased pressure on these natural resources is inevitable — from a world 

 population expected to double by 2060, and from natural phenomena such as 

 global warming. 



But Alina Szmant, a marine biologist at the University of North Carolina at 

 Wilmington, refuses to surrender to doom and gloom. She prefers to work toward 

 solutions. 



And, she's not alone. She is among a growing number of marine scientists 

 worldwide working to restore and maintain healthy coral reef communities. 

 Likewise, their counterparts elsewhere in the scientific community are emphasizing 

 sustainable land use and forest management methods. 



Continued 



BACKGROUND: A Sea Grant research project focuses on restoration 

 of coral reefs, including star coral shown releasing gamete bundles. 

 INSET: Montastraea with Spirobranchus giganteus. 



Photos by Julie Robinson 



COASTWATCH 



