Coral Reef's Slow Growth Worries Scientists

They blame climate change for trouble
By Katherine Thompson,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 2, 2009 11:40 AM CST
Coral Reef's Slow Growth Worries Scientists
Coral reefs offer refuge for thousands of types of animals, and a silent world for divers to explore.   (Flickr)

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 coral reef stories.)

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