U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit

A bright yellow fish swims through a dense coral reef along the coast of Culebra, Puerto Rico. Ocean acidification is likely to diminish the structural integrity of coral reefs. This could compromise reef resilience in the face of other acute threats, such as thermal stress, diseases, increasing storm intensity, and rising sea level. This will make coastal areas increasingly vulnerable to waves and storm surge with associated effects on the tourism sector, fisheries, and coastal infrastructure.