The Great Barrier Reef off the north coast of Australia is home to unique flora and fauna. However, studies have now found mortality rates of up to 72 percent. Rising water temperatures, among other things, contributed to this.
These lead to coral bleaching. This means that the corals then shed the microscopic algae that live on them in order to survive. If the water temperature remains high, the corals turn white and die. Examination of 12 partial reefs revealed mortality rates of up to 72 percent, the Australian Institute of Marine Sciences announced on Tuesday. In a northern part, a third of the hard corals are already dead.
“Resilience limited”
Although only a relatively small part of the entire reef was surveyed for the report now presented, it is feared that the rest of the Great Barrier Reef has suffered similar levels of coral mortality. The fast-growing species Acropora was particularly affected this year. “The damage is serious, the losses are great,” says research leader Mike Emslie.
The Great Barrier Reef can recover, but its ‘resilience’ is ‘limited’, says Richard Leck of the environmental organization WWF. The Australian government must reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 90 percent by 2023 compared to 2005 levels. The country is one of the largest coal and gas exporters in the world.
The famous coral reef is 2,300 kilometers long and is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It consists of 2500 individual reefs. These in turn are among the largest and most complex ecosystems on Earth; they provide a natural environment consisting of various plants and animals. More than 75 percent of all coral reefs worldwide are already threatened, for example by overfishing, higher water temperatures and environmental pollution.
Source: Krone
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