← All questionsGS1 · 2019 · Geography ·Global Warming and Coral Reefs
QUESTION 4
GS1
10 marks

Assess the impact of global warming on the coral life system with examples.

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7 min
150 words
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What the examiner wants

Assess how warming oceans harm coral reefs, with examples.

AssessWeigh the evidence and say how far the claim holds.

Demand-wise check

  1. 1Mechanism: heat stress expels zooxanthellae → bleaching → death if prolonged≈30 words
  2. 2Ocean acidification weakens calcium carbonate skeletons; sea-level rise and storms≈30 words
  3. 3Examples: Great Barrier Reef mass bleaching (2016, 2017, 2020, 2022, 2024), Lakshadweep and Gulf of Mannar≈30 words
  4. 4Effects on fisheries, coastal protection, tourism; restoration efforts≈30 words

Open in about 20 words and close in about 20.

Answer plan

MechanismExamplesWider effectsMeasuresConclusion

Where marks usually go

  • No mechanism of bleaching
  • No named reefs, e.g. Great Barrier Reef bleaching 2016–17, Lakshadweep, Gulf of Mannar

Draw this

  • Diagram: healthy coral → bleached → dead

Value addition

  • FactNOAA confirmed the fourth global coral bleaching event in 2024, affecting reefs in over 50 countries.NOAA Coral Reef Watch
  • DataCoral reefs cover under 1% of the ocean floor but support about 25% of marine species.UNEP