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Once colorful and vibrant, corals in the Florida Keys are now sick and dying.
Reef should have around 35 percent coral cover. In 1999, it was as low as 6 percent.
Many things can kill the corals like boats or hurricanes, as well as diseases, algae and sponges.
The global warning raises the sea water temperature, which favors microbes and coral bleaching. Algae living in coral tissue provide energy and oxygen to the coral. Pollution, low salinity and high light intensity stress corals causing them to lose its algae and appear bleached white.
The loss of reef habitat in turn causes a decreasing fish population.
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