2.3.3. Pollution

Impacts from land-based sources of pollution (e.g. agriculture, deforestation, storm water, coastal development, road construction, and oil and chemical spills) on coral reef ecosystems include increased sedimentation, nutrients, toxins, and pathogen introduction. These pollutants and related synergistic effects can cause disease and mortality in sensitive species, disrupt critical ecological functions, cause trophic structure and dynamics changes (i.e. eutrophic conditions), and impede growth, reproduction, and larval settlement.

These threats—combined with other threats like coral disease; tropical storms; tourism and recreation; vessel damage; marine debris, and aquatic invasive species—compound upon each other, making conservation efforts more difficult.