Great Barrier Reef loses more than half its coral cover

[Judi Lynn]

Great Barrier Reef loses more than half its coral cover

Population explosion of coral-eating starfish, storms and acidification of oceans causing rapid decline, study finds

Alok Jha, science correspondent
guardian.co.uk, Monday 1 October 2012 15.00 EDT

Coral cover in the Great Barrier Reef has dropped by more than half over the last 27 years, according to scientists, a result of increased storms, bleaching and predation by population explosions of a starfish which sucks away the coral's nutrients.

At present rates of decline, the coral cover will halve again within a decade, though scientists said the reef could recover if the crown-of-thorns starfish can be brought under control and, longer term, global carbon dioxide emissions are reduced.

"This latest study provides compelling evidence that the cumulative impacts of storms, crown-of-thorns starfish (Cots) and two bleaching events have had a devastating effect on the reef over the last three decades," said John Gunn, chief executive of the Australian Institute of Marine Science.

Coral reefs are an important part of the marine ecosystem as sources of food and as protection for young fish. They are under threat around the world from the effects of bleaching, due to rising ocean temperatures, and increasing acidification of the oceans, which reduces the corals' ability to build their calcium carbonate structures.

More:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/oct/01/great-barrier-reef-coral-cover

[Judi Lynn]

1. Great Barrier Reef loses half its coral in 27 years

Great Barrier Reef loses half its coral in 27 years

The Great Barrier Reef has lost half of its coral in less than three decades, according to a new study which blames the killer Crown of Thorns starfish for its demise.

By Nick Collins, Science Correspondent
8:00PM BST 01 Oct 2012

A comprehensive survey monitoring 214 of the individual reefs along the World Heritage site found that coral cover decreased from 28 per cent in 1985 to 13.8 per cent this year.

If replicated across the entire Great Barrier Reef, which runs the length of Queensland’s coast and stretches 155 miles from shore, the figure equates to a loss of coral across almost 19,300 sq miles of reef – more than twice the area of Wales.

One of the key factors in the deterioration of coral was population explosions of Crown of Thorns starfish, which researchers held responsible for more than two fifths of the overall loss.

Under the right conditions, Crown of Thorns can each produce tens of millions of larvae, triggering mass population booms which have been shown to strip entire reefs of coral.

More:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/9578969/Great-Barrier-Reef-loses-half-its-coral-in-27-years.html

[n2doc]

2. So freaking depressing n/t

[stuntcat]

3. shame

Shame is what humans should feel, but they don't feel that at all. We can conquer the HELL out of all the animals, wipe them out for good, because we're Humanity!!!

[wtmusic]

4. Germany is certainly doing its part

German nuclear cull to add 40 million tones CO2 per year

&quot Reuters) - Germany's plan to shut all its nuclear power plants by 2022 will add up to 40 million tones of carbon dioxide emissions annually as the country turns to fossil fuels, analysts said on Tuesday."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/31/us-german-nuclear-carbon-idUSTRE74U2Y220110531

All to placate irrational fears - shame.

[Scuba]

5. This makes me ill, but thanks for posting anyway.