The coral reefs in Bermuda and around the world are extremely important to our ecosystem, both locally and globally.  In Bermuda, the reefs act as "buffers" and protect the coastline from the full force of waves and storms.  They are also essential to marine biodiversity and contribute greatly to the economy through tourism and fisheries.  The health of coral reefs is in danger world wide.  Dr. Ross Jones, an associate scientist for the Bermuda Biological Station for Research (BBSR), and other scientists refer to this as the "coral reef crisis".  Jones (2004) explains that "some [scientists] are predicting that close to 60 percent of the world's reefs may be lost within the next 25 years. Recent studies estimate that nearly a third of reefs around the globe are already severely damaged."  

Dr. Jones describes several causes of the "coral reef crisis" as overfishing, disease, pollution from agriculture, land or coastal development, and "changes in chemistry due to higher levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and an increase in the frequency and intensity of hurricanes which can damage reefs."  Along with increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, increased water temperature has caused decades of coral disease and bleaching.  The BBSR has been monitoring the reefs and claims that Bermuda's reefs have been faring better than other reefs around the world.