Coral, Crochet and Hyperbolic Geometry . . .
The long-running project, sometimes described as the environmental version of the AIDS quilt, thrives on convoluted math and a sea of volunteers….To date, nearly 25,000 crocheters (“reefers”) have created a worldwide archipelago of more than 50 reefs — both a paean to and a plea for these ecosystems, rainforests of the sea, which are threatened by climate change. The project also explores mathematical themes, since many living reef organisms biologically approximate the quirky curvature of hyperbolic geometry…
It’s Not Just Coral. Extreme Heat is Weakening Entire Marine Ecosystems in Florida – Grist Magazine
Anemones, sponges, and jellyfish are bleaching throughout the Everglades amid record temperatures. It’s a troubling sign for Florida Bay and beyond.
We studied more than 1,500 coastal ecosystems – they will drown if we let the world warm above 2℃ – the Conversation
Much of the world’s natural coastline is protected by living habitats, most notably mangroves in warmer waters and tidal marshes closer to the poles. These ecosystems support fisheries and wildlife, absorb the impact of crashing waves and clean up pollutants. But these vital services are threatened by global warming and rising sea levels…
Climate Change Is Threatening Hawaii’s Coral Reefs. So They Called the Insurance Guy – the New York Times
As climate change makes coastal storms more destructive, an environmental group is trying a new approach to protecting Hawaii’s coral reefs. It could become a model for defending natural structures around the country — if it works…
The Red Sea’s Coral Reefs Defy the Climate-Change Odds – New York Times
…(T)he wildly colorful coral reefs in the waters outside the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el Sheikh, where the annual United Nations climate conference is taking place, are an anomaly: They can tolerate the heat, and perhaps even thrive in it, making them some of the only reefs in the world that have a chance of surviving climate change…
Massive Coral Colony Found in American Samoa
Researchers with NOAA and several other agencies found the massive oval-shaped colony during a monitoring survey in the waters around Ta’u Island, known for large coral colonies.
Massive coral reef taller than the Empire State Building found off Australian coast
During a 12-month exploration of the ocean around Australia, scientists last week discovered an enormous detached coral reef in the Great Barrier Reef — the first to be discovered in over 120 years.
The Great Barrier Reef Has Lost Half Its Corals
The Great Barrier Reef, one of the earth’s most precious habitats, lost half of its coral populations in the last quarter-century, a decline that researchers in Australia said would continue unless drastic action is taken to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Cyclones can damage even distant reefs
Big and strong cyclones can harm coral reefs as far as 1000 kilometers away from their paths, new research shows. A new study sounds a warning about the way strong cyclone winds build extreme seas that affect coral reefs in Australia and around the world.