Kategorie: News
New images show catastrophic extent
Marine biologists are warning of devastating coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef in the Australian state of Queensland. A 1,100-kilometre-long area is already affected. The trigger is a marine heatwave in the region.
New images from the local climate protection organisation Climate Council show the full extent of the destruction: from Lizard Island to the Keppel Islands, a 1,100-kilometre-long area has already been affected.
"Heron Island has fortunately been spared several bleaching events in recent years, but what it looks like now is simply devastating," says Diana Kleine, project manager at the organisation Coral Watch. The researcher has been visiting the island, which is located around 460 kilometres north of Brisbane in the affected area, for 25 years.
With water temperatures of up to 30 degrees, up to 80 per cent of the coral is bleached in some places. "I have seen a four metre wide coral that has grown for thousands of years - and is now completely pale and white," said Amanda McKenzie, CEO of the Climate Control Council. Given the situation, the authorities could soon declare another mass bleaching, the Climate Council warned.
Ocean warming creates stress for corals
The Great Barrier Reef is a natural wonder that can even be seen from space. It is increasingly under threat due to global warming. In difficult conditions, the corals repel the algae that provide the colouring, with which they otherwise live together in a mutually beneficial community.
Bleached corals are extremely stressed, but they are still alive and can recover. According to experts, however, the extremely warm seawater makes them susceptible to diseases that can kill them. If the water does not cool down in the coming weeks, it is only a matter of time before the bleached cnidarians die off, Kleine said.
youTube Video of Heron Island and the result of the coral bleaching:
https://youtu.be/RVoV94eBLzY
(c) Divers for Climate (Feb 2024)