Climate change is one factor to the death of many coral reefs but there's a specific reactive agent that is responsible for coral bleaching and researchers from Florida Atlantic University's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute reveal that it's reactive nitrogen.
Improperly treated sewage, fertilizers and top soil are elevating nitrogen levels, which are causing phosphorus starvation in the corals, reducing their temperature threshold for "bleaching."
These coral reefs were dying off long before they were impacted by rising water temperatures. This study represents the longest record of reactive nutrients and algae concentrations for coral reefs anywhere in the world.
(Image credit: USFWS Pacific/Flickr)