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https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260506-the-1960s-photos-capturing-jamaicas-lost-paradise>
“In 1966, marine scientist Eileen Graham dived into the waters along the
northern coast of Jamaica to study the lush, vibrant coral reefs. Over the
course of two years and long before digital cameras, she gathered a collection
of over 1,000 images from Discovery Bay, Runaway Bay and Rio Bueno that capture
reefs dense with coral, bright with sea fans and sponges, and alive with shoals
of snappers and grouper fish.
Today, that archive of stunning photos has taken on a new significance,
scientists say: after decades of declining Jamaican coral reefs, it is
reminding the world what a healthy habitat looks like. Graham's images, once a
snapshot of an underwater world bursting with life, have become evidence of
change and loss. But the photos can also help us know what to aim for, when
trying to protect and restore the reefs.
"There's a huge diversity of coral in Eileen's photos. You really see how lush
these ecosystems were back then. It really feels like the rainforest of the
sea," says Jelani Williams, a Jamaican marine scientist at the University of
Southern California.
Once considered one of the most biodiverse regions in Jamaica, the island's
reefs have suffered a series of disasters. They were devastated by Hurricane
Allen in 1980, and also battered by invasive species, pollution, tourism and
warmer waters due to climate change. Ever more powerful storms continue to
wreak havoc on corals. And there has been a decline in mangrove forests in the
Caribbean, which protect and nurture reefs.
Through old photos like Graham's, "we can learn what a thriving reef looked
like before it began to be destroyed," William says.”
Via Frederick Wilson II.
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
