Great Barrier Reef coral bleaching has started early, biologist says
Warm water has already begun bleaching coral on the Great Barrier Reef, weeks ahead of the period with highest forecast risk. Satellite data suggest widespread bleaching is possible by March.
Great Barrier Reef protected zones help fish in even lightly exploited areas
Protected zones of the Great Barrier Reef benefit fish even at the relatively lightly-fished northern reefs, according to a new study.
6 fascinating facts about coral reefs
Coral reefs are one of the world’s most colorful and diverse ecosystems, and though they cover only about 1 percent of the ocean floor, they have a huge effect on the health of the rest of the world. Healthy coral reefs mean healthy oceans which means healthy planet.
Worldwide change in shallow reef ecosystems predicted as waters warm
A new study based on the first global survey of marine life by scuba divers has provided fresh insights into how climate change is affecting the distribution of marine life.
There’s still time to save the Great Barrier Reef from dying
Two major bleaching events have wracked the Great Barrier Reef over the last two years, leaving chunks of it dead.
Historical nautical maps show loss of coral reefs
Scientists have used detailed nautical maps created by British sailors in the 1700s to study more than two centuries of coral loss in the Florida Keys. They found that over the past 240 years, the region has lost more than half of its coral structures, with some areas, particularly closer to shore, either gone completely or having lost up to 90 percent of their extent.
Paris agreement’s 1.5C target ‘only way’ to save coral reefs, Unesco says
First global assessment of climate change impact on world heritage-listed reefs says local efforts are ‘no longer sufficient’…
Slathering on sunscreen at the beach? It may be destroying coral reefs
Studies show that oxybenzone, a common chemical found particularly in spray-on sunscreens, contributes to coral bleaching and leaves reefs deformed.
Sea Floor Erosion in Coral Reef Ecosystems Leaves Coastal Communities at Risk
In the first ecosystem-wide study of changing sea depths at five large coral reef tracts in Florida, the Caribbean and Hawai’i, U.S.G.S researchers found the sea floor is eroding in all five places, and the reefs cannot keep pace with sea level rise. As a result, coastal communities protected by the reefs are facing increased risks from storms, waves and erosion.