<
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/feb/28/aerial-surveys-of-great-barrier-reef-ordered-after-flights-confirm-mass-coral-bleaching>
"The Great Barrier Reef’s management authority is preparing to carry out aerial
surveys across the entire length of the marine park after helicopter flights
confirmed extensive coral bleaching across the southern section of the world’s
biggest coral reef.
The
Guardian reported last week that bleaching was being reported in all
regions of the reef from Lizard Island in north to the Keppel islands in the
south – a distance of more than 1,100 kilometres.
Conservationists fear a seventh mass bleaching event could be unfolding on the
reef.
On Wednesday, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority said helicopter
flights had covered 27 inshore reefs and 21 offshore reefs in the southern
region off the Queensland coast and found bleaching was “extensive and fairly
uniform” at all surveyed spots.
Dr Mark Read, the authority’s director for reef health, said most corals were
showing signs of heat stress and were either bleaching white or were showing
fluorescent colours. Some coral species fluoresce under heat stress."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
