Corals Face Extinction

Widespread bleaching expected in weeks to come

(NEWSER) - This year is set to be the hottest on record and scientists warn that could spell disaster for coral reefs. Reefs around the world are bleaching—expelling the algae that give them their color—on a scale only ever seen once before, in 1998. An estimated 16% of the world's shallow-water reefs died that year and researchers believe this year could be even worse. More»

(NEWSER) - Snorkelers and scuba divers aren’t the worst threat to the embattled coral reefs of the world—climate change, commercial fishing, and pollution take top honors—but the casual tourist can lessen, and even mitigate, the damage he or she causes, Slate reports. Of course, snorkelers shouldn’t purposefully snap off pieces of the majestic underwater life forms. But carelessly dragging equipment across coral, or walking on it, while looking for a better view is equally destructive. More»

Scientists credit luck for natural wonder's 'spectacular' healing

(NEWSER) - Parts of the Great Barrier Reef bleached by warming waters 3 years ago have made a speedy recovery because of a few lucky breaks, the Guardian reports. Reefs typically take at least a decade to overcome human-created crises, but a combination of biological factors helped the reef's speedy healing, Australian scientists conclude in a new study. More»

They blame climate change for trouble

(NEWSER) - The Great Barrier Reef isn't growing as fast as it should, and the consequences could be devastating for the vast species of marine life that it supports, say Australian scientists. A 13% decline in coral growth rate since 1990 is the first such drop in 400 years, says their report in Science. Global warming is one of the culprits, along with increasingly acidic seawater, notes the BBC. More»

Global warming to surge in 2009, new study says

(NEWSER) - A new 10-year model of climate change forecasts several years of record temperatures between 2009 to 2014, the BBC reports. Most global warming predictions see significant climate changes over a century; the new model, developed by British meteorologists using present-day observations, offers shorter-term predictions of event such as El Nino that industries and governments can respond to. More»