“Around the world coral reefs are facing threats brought by climate change and dramatic shifts in sea temperatures. While warming has been the primary focus for scientists and ocean policy managers, cold can also cause significant damage.” Quoted from the NSF press release.
“Scientists have discovered an outbreak of coral disease called Montipora White Syndrome in Kāneʿohe Bay, Oʿahu. The affected coral are of the species Montipora capitata, also known as rice coral. Rice corals provide valuable habitat, shelter, and foraging grounds for a variety of tropical marine fish and invertebrates and provide the fundamental structure of coral reefs.” Quote from the USGS press release.
“Changing human activities coupled with a dynamic environment over the past few centuries have caused fluctuating periods of decline and recovery of corals reefs in the Hawaiian Islands.” Quoted from the Stony Brook University Press Release.
“New evidence of sea-level oscillations during a warm period that started about 125,000 years ago raises the possibility of a similar scenario if the planet continues its more recent warming trend, says a research team led by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.” Quoted from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution press release.
“Remember frozen iguanas falling from trees during Florida’s 2010 record-breaking cold snap? Well, a new study led by scientists at the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science shows that Florida’s corals also dropped in numbers due to the cold conditions.” Quoted from the University of Miami, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science news release.
“Seventy-five percent of the world’s coral reefs are currently threatened by local and global pressures. Most threats arise from local sources, which currently threaten more than 60% of coral reefs. Local threats include impacts from fishing, coastal development, and pollution. The percent of threatened reefs will increase to more than 90% by 2030 and to nearly all reefs by 2050.” Quote from USA.gov.
Sinking retired warships a few miles off the US east coast is a way to provide habitats for marine life and create recreational opportunities for people. However, some researchers object to the practice.
“For about $25, the average homeowner can sprinkle enough nutrients, pesticides and weed killer to keep their lawn bright green and weed-free for several months. The real price tag is much higher. In fact, that $25 worth of fertilizer, applied incorrectly, could easily cost thousands of dollars.” Quoted from the Bay Soundings article.
This National Geographic video demonstrates how sonar is used to map the ocean floor, determine its characteristics, map coral reefs and survey fish populations.
“For the first time, scientists have been able to validate the age of deep-sea black corals in the Gulf of Mexico. They found the Gulf is home to 2,000 year-old deep-sea black corals, many of which are only a few feet tall. [...] Deep-sea black corals are a perfect example of ecosystems linked between the surface and the deep ocean. They can potentially record this link in their skeleton for hundreds to thousands of years.” Quoted from the USGS press release.
Ove Hoegh-Guldberg of the University of Queensland calculates that some corals in the Great Barrier Reef would have to move south at a rate of 15 kilometers per year to outdistance the advance of waters warm enough to cause extinction.
The U.S. Geological Survey Coral Reef Ecosystem Studies Project is analyzing corals from various sites in the Caribbean region, Dry Tortugas National Park, Biscayne National Park, other areas of the Florida Keys, and the Virgin Islands. The objective of this project is to develop records of past environmental change to better our understanding of climate variability. The records are being used to document changes over the last few centuries and to determine how corals and coral reefs have responded to any changes.
The Voice of America website has an article titled: “75 Percent of World’s Coral Reefs Threatened”. The article explains how human activities and ecological disruptions are damaging coral reefs.
This image shows rainfall associated with Yasi from January 28 to February 3, 2011. The heaviest rainfall—more than 300 millimeters or nearly 12 inches—appears in dark blue. The lightest rainfall—less than 50 millimeters or about 2 inches—appears in light green. The storm track is superimposed on the rainfall amounts, with darker shades of pink indicating greater storm intensity.
In this video Sir David Attenborough introduces you to cold-water corals, which are more abundant than most people realize – perhaps more abundant than the warm-water corals that build the familiar coral reefs. It includes an invitation to visit a website about cold-water corals, lophelia.org.
Changing patterns of ocean temperatures are allowing some coral species to move to newly-warmed waters. A group of researchers analyzed changes in the geographic range of coral species between the 1930′s and today to discover this trend.
“When this image was taken, Zelia was over the Coral Sea, immediately east of Queensland, Australia. The small storm moved rapidly southeast, away from Australia. By January 17, Zelia was over the South Pacific Ocean near New Zealand’s North Island, where it was forecast to bring heavy rain.” Quoted from the NASA image release.
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