Ecosystem Biodiversity Science Today

What is the primary cause of the unusually warm ocean temperatures threatening coral?

• El Niño weather patterns

• Overall climate change

• Both El Niño and climate change

• Pollution

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Analyzing

What happens to coral when it undergoes bleaching?

• It turns pale or white and becomes more prone to disease

• It grows faster and becomes healthier

• It changes color to attract more fish

• It becomes resistant to warm temperatures

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Understanding

In what year did Hawaii experience widespread coral bleaching for the first time in nearly two decades?

• 2012

• 2013

• 2014

• 2015

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Remembering

According to the passage, what is a critical factor that can cause widespread coral bleaching?

• Light levels

• Nutrient levels

• Warm temperatures

• Salinity levels

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Analyzing

What percentage of the dominant coral species in Kaneohe Bay lost some color or turned completely white in 2014?

• 50%

• 60%

• 75%

• 90%

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Evaluating

Coral reefs cover just one-tenth of the ocean floor but are home to ___ percent of known marine species.

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Understanding

Repeated bleaching on a reef within a short period makes it very hard for the corals to ___ and survive.

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Understanding

What human activities are possibly to blame for coral bleaching?

How can these changes in biodiversity caused by the coral bleaching affect human resources?

How does this article support what you have learned about changes in biodiversity?