Month: January 2018

Coral reefs can take thousands of years to build but are surprisingly susceptible to climatic events. Coral bleaching is the primary cause of reef destruction. El Niño combined with rising sea temperatures have meant for the loss of up to 25 per cent of the Great Barrier Reef since 2014.
Past events have shown reefs recover from mass bleaching including the Great Barrier Reef – record sea temperatures in 1998 and 2002 saw more than 50 per cent bleaching but 95 per cent reef recovery once the temperatures normalized. However, given the sheer scope and rate of recent bleaching events, scientists fear the reef’s inability to recover and it has prompted them to take action. Continue reading Reef bleach