Coral Reefs: A STEM Novel

By Stephen Wood

Venture into the compelling narrative of 'Coral Reefs,' where Diane and Bronwyn embark on a mission to unveil the undeniable truth about global warming, rising sea levels, and the perilous impact of escalating ocean temperatures. In a world where skepticism persists, the duo is determined to shatter misconceptions and raise awareness about the imminent threats to our environment.

Challenging their skeptical science teacher, Diane and Bronwyn launch into a competition that propels them on a journey of exploration and revelation. Their pursuit of factual evidence leads them to the vibrant coral reefs of Florida. From snorkeling in Epcot Center's giant fish tank to exploring the Miami Seaquarium and the depths of the Florida Keys, the girls encounter a spectrum of scientists and coral reef specialists, gathering the data crucial for their mission.

Back at school, their presentation becomes a beacon of knowledge, not only enlightening their science class but captivating the entire student body. Their science teacher, instrumental in the journey's inception, arranges for state representatives to witness their compelling presentation.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Dec 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9798989026272

Book preview

OMG!! – THE CORAL REEFS ARE DYING

Dad, began Diane, it says here that over the last couple of years, a disaster unprecedented in recorded history has occurred! Due to record-breaking water temperatures, more than 90% of the Great Barrier Reef has been damaged or killed by mass bleaching! It says that when coral is bleached, the beautiful, intensely colored coral, teeming with life, turns ghostly white. It also says the coral can recover if the temperatures quickly go back to normal; otherwise … death. The article says 25% of the Great Barrier Reef is dead! OMG!!! Dad, is there something we can do about this?

Sam, a mechanical engineer, had spent his life designing, developing, and managing systems that function in every environment imaginable: composite plow systems for use on Mars, an autonomous underwater vehicle to be deployed on the moon Europa that is capable of melting and drilling its way through hundreds of feet of ice to the seas below; robotic systems to traverse the most challenging terrain on earth; or systems to explore the harsh marine environment: open ocean, coastal areas, estuaries, and interior freshwater rivers and lakes. So, it was a special day when Diane, Sam’s 11-year-old daughter, showed him a video she found on YouTube about the whiting of coral reefs on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. She then showed her dad a recent publication about the reef.

Yes Diane, it’s terrible, said Sam. "A recent film called Chasing Coral confirms the intense bleaching. The documentary shows what happens during a bleaching event, especially the difference between healthy and dead sections of the reef. We should watch it tonight. The show shows that the dead and bleached sections of the reef are a graveyard! It is an unbelievable change from being the most beautiful place on earth to being among the ugliest! Right out of Dr. Seuss’s book, the Lorax! What remains of the whitened dead coral is covered in a goo of decaying life–brown goo you would see in horror movies. When I saw the show, I felt I needed to turn it off or deny what I saw. Everything pointed to death!!"

But Dad, continued Diane, are our actions making this happen? The last president said there is no climate change, and the new president says there is. Who is telling the truth? Are adults making a mess of the planet? Can we kids make a difference? I need to investigate how adults are severely impacting our lives. Kids worldwide have done nothing to create this crisis, but we will be the ones who will have to clean it up!

Sam responded, happy that Diane is interested in the world’s climate problem. "Yes, the previous president was lying or delusional. If what scientists say is accurate, we will have to deal with extreme weather, storms, droughts, fires, and rising seas while we watch mass extinctions of species. Many beautiful things will be destroyed or killed. We are having a string of the warmest years on record globally. I looked it up the other day. The hottest years on record were the last ten since 1880, when record-keeping began.

Global warming is causing extreme weather worldwide, causing widespread death and destruction from hurricanes, wildfires, floods, and heat waves. The last year that was cooler than the average was 1976. Since then, the globe has experienced a stretch of consecutive warmer-than-average years, continued Sam.

"The real question is, where does the heat go? The answer is mostly the oceans, according to scientists. They say the ocean temperatures have been rising for at least 30 years, and the sea surface temperatures across the globe will continue to rise over the next decade as greenhouse gases build up in the atmosphere. 2023 was the year that sent the North Atlantic to levels beyond even extreme predictions. The southern hemisphere experienced intense human-caused warming over the past decade, primarily in the mid-latitude areas of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The New York Times says that since 1955, more than 90% of the excess heat retained by the Earth because of increased human-caused greenhouse gases has been absorbed by the oceans, which have an amazing ability to store heat. People do not realize that as the water heats, it also expands. One-third of the rise in sea level comes from this expansion."

SURFACE TEMPERATURE

The average surface temperature has increased about 2 degrees in the past century, driven by increased carbon dioxide and other human-made emissions into the atmosphere. This is human-caused climate change in action, but what counts is the longer-term change, which is clearly upward.

Sam continued, "Ocean waters act as the enormous heat sponge of the Earth, sheltering continents and people who live on them from atmospheric extremes. The near-surface ocean takes only decades to warm in response to elevated greenhouse gases, while deep-ocean regions take centuries or more, raising the sea level. Warmer ocean temperatures may also increase the destructive potential of extreme weather, such as hurricanes. The effects of warmer waters are already widespread. Then, as the seas and atmosphere warm, the ice melts in the Arctic and the Antarctic. We are in for a significant sea level rise across the entire world.

To top it off, our carbon dioxide levels hit the highest point in 800,000 years! We continue to burn fossil fuels, so carbon dioxide continues to build up in the air, and as carbon dioxide builds up, so does ocean acidification. Carbon dioxide is absorbed by seawater, setting in motion chemical reactions that make it harder for coral to grow. Coral grows upward toward sunlight and thickens. With acidification, thickening slows or stops, leaving them more vulnerable.

OMG!! Diane said. We are in trouble. I don’t know if it is related, but I also saw an article that said jellyfish now have longer seasons and are expanding their territory. It also mentioned that fish are moving north like beavers.

Yes, Sam said, the oceans are changing. As shown in movies, reputable journals, and other media, coral reefs are one of the most important areas of our oceans. There are hundreds of coral species on the Great Barrier Reef, with thousands of species interacting on the reef. For example, there are fish that farm algae. Some fish form partnerships with other species; for example, the giant moray eel and the roving coral grouper will work together hunting other fish and sharing what they catch.

Diane listened intently, absorbing her dad’s every word.

GREAT BARRIER REEF

The Great Barrier Reef is the largest structure made up of life on Earth. It extends 1250 miles (~2,000 kilometers), the length of the entire United States’ east coast! So, when large portions of it die, it is like having all the

"We have half a billion to a billion people who rely on coral reefs as their primary food source. Without it, they will become malnourished, and their culture, way of life, and economies all depend on healthy reefs.

"Many important people, like the previous president of the United States, argue that this is just a cycle we are going through and not a natural occurrence. Still, most intelligent people now agree global warming is happening, and according to the latest report by the Intergovernmental

Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), we need to do something about it, even if we must tighten our belts and suck it in."

Diane was still listening and had started to take notes. She was formulating a plan to spread the word but realized she needed facts to make any argument, and her dad, it looks like, was an excellent first resource.

CORAL REEFS

Coral reefs are vital - they are essentially the nursery of the oceans. About 25% of all marine life is dependent on coral reefs.

Reefs around the world are in trouble. A typical healthy coral reef should cover anywhere from 30% to 100% coral. Seaweed and other algae should be a fraction of that, and sponges should be about 10%.

Sam continued without realizing that Diane had become thoughtful and interested in his every word. "Reef science, like reefs themselves, is a bit of a war zone. Algal and sponges would usually be kept in check by sea urchins and sea turtles. But since sea turtle populations have dropped due to human activities, the recent devastation of sea urchins has made things worse for the coral. You lose the primary herbivores in the system, which clean the reef of seaweed and algae. With the loss of sea turtles, sponges lost their predator, and reefs are being overrun between the seaweed and sponges.

ALGAE & SPONGES

Algae bathed in sunlight can produce more sugar than needed. Sponges crave sugar and excrete plenty of the nitrogen and other nutrients algae need. Sponge populations in some Caribbean reef areas have increased from 15% to 20%, making them the dominant species. These reefs are no longer coral reefs but algae-sponge reefs. Sponges are not all bad; they play a crucial role in filtering water and concentrating nutrients for all kinds of animals, but they do not build reefs and, in fact, actively destroy them.

While Sam talked, Diane realized her next mission - to make everyone aware of the plight of our coral reefs. As Sam spoke on, Diane continued writing and then decided to discuss the plight of coral reefs and global warming first with her best friends: Bronwyn, Thomas, and Dean. Then, she would convince her science teacher, classmates, and everyone in school.

ψ

It was easy to convince her friends since they were of similar minds, but Diane found it challenging with her science teacher. Mr. Johnson does not believe in global warming or climate change and believes all the news about it is bogus. Especially since the previous president and most of his friends did not believe it.

See here, Diane, said Mr. Johnson. Diane was surprised to see a slight smile on his face. "You - you can’t seriously believe global warming exists. From what I see on television, there is no conclusive evidence.

First, the scientific consensus on global warming is based on conspiracies to produce manipulated data. The science behind global warming has been invented or distorted for ideological or financial reasons. Climate change is a hoax. There is no convincing evidence that humans can or will cause global warming. The proposed limits on greenhouse gases environmentalists talk about would harm the environment, hinder the advance of science and technology, and damage the health and welfare of mankind.

From what I have seen, there is no convincing scientific evidence that human release of carbon dioxide, methane, or other greenhouse gases is causing or will, in the foreseeable future, cause catastrophic heating of the Earth’s atmosphere and disruption of the Earth’s climate. Moreover, substantial scientific evidence shows increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide produce many beneficial effects on the Earth’s natural plant and animal environments.

Well, Mr. Johnson, all the scientific evidence points to that there is indeed global warming. I was watching a NOVA (American popular science public television program) special on TV, continued Diane with disbelief at Mr. Johnson’s response. "Coral requires warm water to thrive but are extremely sensitive to heat, and an increase of two- or three-degrees Fahrenheit above normal can kill them.

"I know you have read in the news that due to an underwater heat wave, miles of the Great Barrier Reef in the north have died to such an extent that many marine biologists say the reef will never look the same. They documented that nearly one-third of the reef’s coral was killed when the ocean temperature spiked. The damage to the reef was so significant that it altered the mix of coral species. The reef changes faster than anyone thought possible and will never look the same again.

Mr. Johnson, if nations honor the global commitments of the Paris Climate Accord to prevent temperatures from rising more than 2 degrees Celsius, we will still have reefs like the Great Barrier Reef 50 years from now. If we do not commit to reducing greenhouse gases, we may not have any shallow-water coral reefs. We have lost close to half of the shallow-water coral reefs of the Great Barrier Reef in the last few years.

Now, now, Diane. Mr. Johnson returned in a sinister but soothing tone, like the Grinch consoling Cindy-Loo Hoo in the Christmas TV show ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas.’ Now, you can’t blame that specific incident on us. I have a reliable source that says solar flares caused these episodes, and everything will return to normal in a couple of years as the solar flares return to normal.

Mr. Johnson’s smile lingered. He glanced at Bronwyn and saw she was focused on everything he said. Looking back at Diane, he said, You are … ah … prepared to take the word of those liberal scare tactics, are you, Diane?

There was a moment of silence broken by Bronwyn’s gulping laugh that burst out.

Certainly, I believe the evidence of the majority of scientists in the world, and this is the first I have heard of solar flares causing the death of hundreds of square miles of coral reefs, said Diane. Her eyes were blazing now. I heard the UN reports and numerous reports from NOVA, National Geographic reports, and many other accounts of what is happening worldwide. All these reports make sense; they explain everything that has happened in the last 20-plus years!

Mr. Johnson still had a strange smile on his face. Once again, he glanced at Bronwyn before answering.

You are prepared to believe that global warming is a fact without listening to all sides of the discussion and from scientists who … well … have been proven to report false news reports.

Dr. Johnson gave Bronwyn another look, and Bronwyn understood.

You’ve been watching Nightly News Network, Mr. Johnson, Bronwyn said.

Dr. Johnson reddened, but a defiant and obstinate look came over his face.

And if I have? It is the only source of news that releases the facts. Unlike the trash on your liberal TV! he said, looking at Diane. I have followed their line of reasoning very closely, and NN-Network makes sense, as did the previous president and many other leading officials in our government!

Please, Mr. Johnson, said Diane. Taking a step toward Mr. Johnson, she seemed to radiate confidence that Bronwyn felt every time Diane knew the facts and was determined to convince others her view was correct, which it usually was. The science is sound, and I am making it my mission this year to bring you around.

I see no true evidence to make me believe otherwise! Mr. Johnson replied, heated, his face purpling. It seems you are all determined to start a panic that will cause millions of dollars to be wasted on environmental projects that are a waste of time!

Bronwyn and Diane couldn’t believe what they were hearing. They thought Mr. Johnson was fair, maybe a little blusterous, a bit pompous, but good-natured. But to have a respected teacher refusing, point blank, to accept the prospect of disruption in his comfortable and ordered world – to believe global warming existed.

There is global warming, Diane repeated. If you accept that fact straight away, Mr. Johnson, and help spread the word so our politicians can make proper and responsible decisions, we may still be able to save the world from serious consequences. The first and most essential step is to reduce our greenhouse gases.

Preposterous! Mr. Johnson replied indignantly. You want me to get rid of my new SUV I just bought? Yeah, right. If you tree-hugging liberals only focused on important things, the world would be a better place!

If all teachers and politicians in the country faced the facts presented before their eyes instead of sticking their heads in the sand, we would be able to divert a disaster, answered Diane.

Mr. Johnson opened and closed his