Climate change and carbon threats to coral reefs: National meteorological and ocean services as sentinels

Some of the linkages between atmospheric CO 2 and the physical and chemical processes that it drives such as climate change, increased sea surface temperatures, ocean acidification, tropical cyclone frequency/severity, and sea level rise, are summarized. Projections for most IPCC scenarios predict a rise in sea surface temperatures (SST) of at least 2°C in the twenty-first century, which is expected to push most coral reefs close to or beyond their threshold for bleaching more often, reducing their ability to recover from such events. A warming climate is also likely to affect the frequency and intensity of tropical cyclones, as warm sea surface temperatures are necessary for cyclogenesis. Increasing water depth and reduced water quality from enhanced sediment suspension can reduce light availability and may cause deeper coral reefs to drown if they do not receive enough sunlight to support photosynthesis.