Coral resuscitation in the Great Barrier Reef achieves critical values

Coral resuscitation in the Great Barrier Reef achieves critical values

The record-breaking Oceanwasser temperatures Effects on one of the largest natural wonder in the world. A new study shows that the coral bleaching on great barrier " Reef has reached catastrophic dimensions in Australia.

catastrophic losses in corals

More than 50 % of the monitored corals near an island in the southern part of the reef died last year during the most difficult and extensive Bleiche , which has ever been determined in this area. According to a team of Australian scientists, in 2024 the worst summer was the reef. The strongly rising Oceantemperatures have broken and to the seventh mass bleaching des riffs. When marine heat waves put corals under pressure, they lose their algae and fade.

Influence of fossil fuels and weather phenomena

study and its results

Scientists from the University of Sydney monitored 462 coral colonies on One Tree Island in the reef over a period of five months, starting with the climax of the heat wave in early February. By May 370 of these colonies were bleached and until July 52 % of the bleaching corals were dead, according to a examined study, which in the Limnology and Oceanography letters was published.

The urgency of action

Some coral species had a dying rate of 95 %. Researchers observed the beginning of the "colony decay", in which the dead skeleton breaks off the reef and disintegrates. "Our results illustrate the urgent need for measures to protect the coral reefs that are not only hotspots of biodiversity, but also crucial for nutritional safety and coastal protection," said main author Maria Byrne from the School of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University.

Although the examined area is in a protected part of the reef, far from the coast and free of mining activities and tourism, it was "despite its protected status, it was not immune to the extreme heat stress that triggered this catastrophic bleach," she added.

economic meaning and global relevance

The Great Barrier Reef extends over almost 133,000 square miles (345,000 square kilometers) and is the largest coral reef in the world, which houses more than 1,500 fish species and 411 species of hard corals. It contributes billions of dollars to the Australian economy every year, mainly through tourism, and is strongly advertised as one of the largest natural wonders in the country and the world.

The authors emphasize that the mass edification of the bleach is increasingly becoming “a Biennale event” and thus requires the need for global measures to comply with ambitious climate goals and to reduce emissions.

The effects on more resilient coral species

The bleach also affected areas of the reef that were not previously affected, and diseases and deaths were found even in the case of coral species that are resistant to be resistant. "To see the effects on a reef that has so far been largely spared from the mass edification of the bleach is devastating," said marine scientist Shawna Foo, the co -author of the study. "The high death rates and illnesses, especially in such a remote and untouched area, illustrate the severity of the situation."

In February last year, CNN reported on pale on five different reefs that spanned the northern and southern parts of the ecologically important but fragile area.

conclusion and outlook

Severere massedivision bleaching at the Great Barrier Reef was previously observed in 1998, 2002, 2016, 2017, 2020 and 2022. The bleach in 2022 was for the first time during a La Niña event, the counterpart to El Niño, which usually has cooling effects and raises serious concerns about the future of the reef.

The authors of the study see their research as a "wake -up call for political decision -makers and conservationists", since the effects go beyond ecology and nature conservation and affect communities that depend on the reef for fishing, tourism and coastal protection.

"The resilience of the coral reefs is put to the test like never before, and we have to prioritize strategies that strengthen their ability to cope with climate change," said Ana Vila Concejo, co -author of the university's school. "Our results underline the need for immediate and effective management intervention to protect these ecosystems."