Coral cover declined from 45% to 32% over 10 years. What is the average annual percent decrease, assuming exponential decay?

Wed, 06 May 2026 12:11:45 +0000

**Coral Cover Declined from 45% to 32% Over 10 Years. What Is the Average Annual Percent Decrease, Assuming Exponential Decay?** A quiet but significant shift is reshaping coastal marine ecosystems: coral cover in many U.S. reef systems has dropped from 45% to 32% over the past decade. That 13-point decline sparks urgent attention—especially among environmental researchers, coastal managers, and sustainability advocates. With coral reefs under pressure from warming waters and human activity, understanding the pace of this decline offers critical insight into ecological trends. But how exactly does that drop translate to an average yearly percentage loss, assuming exponential decay? And what does this mean for the future of marine biodiversity? --- **Why Coral Cover Declined from 45% to 32% Over 10 Years. What Is the Average Annual Percent Decrease, Assuming Exponential Decay?**