A diver surveying Magnetic Island in Queensland. Credit: Maya Srinivasan A study has found concerning new evidence of long-term declines in coral reef fish around highly visited inshore islands of the Great Barrier Reef. Scientists surveyed reefs at 100 sites around the Palm Islands, Magnetic Island, Whitsunday Islands, and Keppel Islands over a 14 year […]
Comparison of Kuroshio transport reconstructed from the coral Sr/Ca for southeastern Taiwan island (KTSTWblack) and the 3-year running averages of the global ocean heat content (OHC) for the 0–700 m layer (EN4 dataset, orange) and western Pacific Warm Pool OHC enclosed by the 28°C isotherm (EN4, dataset, purple). Credit: IOCAS The Kuroshio is a strong […]
I relocated from California to Placencia, on the coast of southern Belize, in 1995, when there were no paved roads, no vehicles and everybody walked around barefoot. Back then, I was working as a research assistant and scuba-diving instructor. That meant that I had access to Belize’s stunning coral reefs, but also that I began […]
Coral bleaching — such as that seen here around Lizard Island on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef — happens when the water is too warm. A global coral bleaching event that began last year has quickly grown to the largest on record, according to a US agency, with the impacted reef area continuing to grow. From […]
Coral reefs cover only 1% of the ocean floor, but support an estimated 25% of all marine life in the ocean, earning them the moniker ‘rainforest of the sea.’ They also play a critical role for coastal communities; preventing coastal erosion, protecting coastlines from hurricane damage, and generating $36 billion in annual income worldwide. We […]
