<
https://theconversation.com/synchronised-bleaching-ningaloo-and-the-great-barrier-reef-are-bleaching-in-unison-for-the-first-time-252906>
"This summer, an intense marine heatwave struck off northwestern Australia,
driving sea surface temperatures up to 4°C above the summer average. The large
mass of warm water has slowly moved south from the Kimberley region and through
the Pilbara, leaving a wave of underwater destruction behind. Now Ningaloo Reef
is bleaching in earnest.
The Great Barrier Reef is bleaching too in the waters from Cape York down to
Townsville.
This appears to be the first time these two World Heritage-listed reefs have
bleached in unison. Bleaching may also hit the World Heritage reef at Shark Bay
in Western Australia.
How bad is it? I have just returned from Ningaloo Reef, where I saw widespread
bleaching and the first signs of coral mortality. Up to 90% of the coral found
in shallow areas of the northern lagoon had bleached. Bleaching doesn’t
automatically mean death, but it severely weakens the coral and jeopardises
survival.
At Ningaloo and further south, the heatwave is still unfolding. In coming
months, we can expect to see some coral mortality, while other corals will
survive the bleaching in poor health only to succumb to disease or other
threats such as
Drupella (coral-eating snails). Other corals may survive but
struggle to reproduce, but some particularly hardy corals with the right
combination of genes for surviving this event are expected to live on.
Why is this happening? No surprises here: our greenhouse gas emissions trap
more heat in the atmosphere. Over 90% of the heat pours into the oceans,
pushing surface and deep water temperatures higher for longer periods of time."
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
