Most coral reef areas experienced bleaching in past year: Research
Coral reefs around the globe experienced a mass bleaching event in the past year as the ocean continues to heat, according to new research.
Mass bleaching has been reported in coral reefs in at least 53 countries and territories in the Northern and Southern hemispheres since early 2023, researchers with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) said in a statement Monday.
Coral bleaching occurs when corals are stressed by changes in conditions — like temperature, light or nutrients — and expel the algae living in their tissues. This causes the corals to turn completely white.
The impacted reefs include those in Florida, the Caribbean, parts of the Eastern Tropical Pacific like Costa Rica and Panama, Australia's Great Barrier Reef, parts of the South Pacific, the Persian Gulf, and the Gulf of Aden, researchers said.
This marks the globe's second bleaching event over the past 10 years, with the last one ending in May 2017. This was prompted by an El Niño climate pattern that warmed the world's oceans for three years, The Associated Press reported.
Researchers noted bleaching must be confirmed within each major ocean basin to declare it a global bleaching event. The basins include the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans in the Northern and Southern hemispheres.
“As the world’s oceans continue to warm, coral bleaching is becoming more frequent and severe,” NOAA Coral Reef Watch coordinator Derek Manzello said in a statement. “When these events are sufficiently severe or prolonged, they can cause coral mortality, which can negatively impact the goods and services coral reefs provide that people depend on for their livelihoods.”
Coral reefs are vital ecosystems for underwater life and help to protect biodiversity and slow erosion. They are also a tourist attraction in several places, supporting local economies and food security.
Researchers noted that coral bleaching does not always precede the death of reefs, but sounded the alarm over climate change's continued impact on the ecosystems. Climate change has prompted ocean warming, which can in turn cause coral bleaching.
“Climate model predictions for coral reefs have been suggesting, for years, that bleaching impacts would increase in frequency and magnitude as the oceans warm,” said Jennifer Koss, director of NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP).
2023 was the warmest year on record by far, with average land and ocean temperatures reaching 2.12 degrees Fahrenheit above the 20th-century average last year, NOAA researchers announced earlier this year.
Date: |
Filter
-
It's One of the Last Pristine Coral Reefs on Earth. Should We Be Visiting It?
The Raja Ampat archipelago of Indonesia looms large in the imaginations of underwater adventurers. But by visiting its relatively untouched reefs are we protecting them—or threatening them?The Wall Street Journal - World -
It's One of the Last Pristine Coral Reefs on Earth. Should We Be Visiting It?
The Raja Ampat archipelago of Indonesia looms large in the imaginations of underwater adventurers. But by visiting its relatively untouched reefs are we protecting them—or threatening them?The Wall Street Journal - World -
Corals bred in a zoo have joined Europe's largest reef, offering scientists hope
A lab in a Dutch zoo has presented special corals that bred themselves and nestled them in Europe's largest coral reefABC News - Tech -
Corals bred in a zoo have joined Europe's largest reef. This is offering scientists hope
A lab in a Dutch zoo has presented special corals that bred themselves and nestled them in Europe's largest coral reefABC News - World -
Corals bred in a zoo have joined Europe's largest reef, offering scientists hope
A lab in a Dutch zoo has presented special corals that bred themselves and nestled them in Europe's largest coral reefABC News - Tech -
Climate skeptic dismisses severity of Great Barrier Reef bleaching
Yahoo News - World - Climate -
The WSJ Dollar Index Rises 0.5% to 100.62
The WSJ Dollar Index is up 0.5% to 100.62 — higher for two of the past three trading days.The Wall Street Journal - World -
The US and China talk past each other on most issues, but at least they’re still talking
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrapped up his just-concluded latest visit to China with a stop at a Beijing record store where he bought albums by Taylor Swift and Chinese rocker Dou Wei in a symbolic nod to cross-cultural exchanges and ...ABC News - World - China -
Labour pledges to renationalise most rail services within five years
Labour says its plan will improve services - but the Tories say it is "pointless" and "unfunded".BBC News - Top stories -
In Coral Fossils, Searching for the First Glow of Bioluminescence
A new study resets the timing for the emergence of bioluminescence back to millions of years earlier than previously thought.The New York Times - Science
More from The Hill
-
Riot police drag away protesters at University of Texas as Gaza tensions flare
State troopers in riot gear moved on Monday afternoon to clear out students attempting to occupy a quad at the University of Texas at Austin. Dozens of protesters were arrested on site, escalating tensions that began on Wednesday when the ...The Hill - Politics -
Jill Stein accuses police of assaulting her at protest
Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein on Sunday alleged police assaulted her and other demonstrators shortly before being arrested at a pro-Palestinian protest on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis. “Basically, the police ...The Hill - Politics -
US finds Israeli military units violated human rights
Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security The Big Story US finds Israeli military units violated human rights The State Department has determined that at least five Israeli ...The Hill - Politics - Israel -
Evening Report — Protests continue to spread on college campuses
A quick recap of the day and what to look forward to tomorrow {beacon} Evening Report © AP Pro-Palestinian protests escalate on college campuses Hundreds of students have been arrested on college campuses across the country as ...The Hill - Politics -
FCC fines wireless carriers
Presented by Microsoft — {beacon} Technology Technology PRESENTED BY The Big Story FCC fines major mobile carriers $200M The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a fine totaling $200 million to the nation’s four largest mobile ...The Hill - Politics