Coral Reefs

[ratty]

Happy days: Queensland researchers discover that Earth has 25 per cent more coral reefs than we thought

The world’s coral reefs are close to 25% larger than we thought, Queensland academics Mitchell Lyons and Stuart Phinn have revealed.

Research scientists must continue to give 'the nod' to climate change, evidenced by this one paragraph:

But even as we make these discoveries, coral reefs are reeling. Climate change is steadily heating up the sea and making it more acidic. Coral polyps can’t handle too much heat. These wonders of biodiversity are home to a quarter of the ocean’s species.

Coral reefs are INCREDIBLY HARDY, contrary to most everything you hear .... from 2016:

Huge coral reef discovered at Amazon river mouth

[ratty]

Something that actually does damage to reefs ...

Cyclone Kirrily Smashed my Favourite Coral Reef

If you care enough to know what damage, real damage, from a cyclone looks like at a coral reef, get yourself to Townsville and book a trip with Adrenalin Snorkel and Dive to John Brewer Reef.

It is not hard to describe parts of John Brewer Reef three weeks after cyclone Kirrily. My dive buddy, and one of the best underwater cinematographers in the world, Stuart Ireland, described what was once my favourite underwater crevasse overlaid with massive, perfectly arranged, pink plate corals, he now describes it as:

‘Bull in a China Shop Alley.’

All the corals have been picked-up, flipped-over, and smashed-up, at this section of John Brewer Reef.

[missouriboy]

Feb 17, 2024 9:46:27 GMT ratty said:

Something that actually does damage to reefs ...

Cyclone Kirrily Smashed my Favourite Coral Reef

If you care enough to know what damage, real damage, from a cyclone looks like at a coral reef, get yourself to Townsville and book a trip with Adrenalin Snorkel and Dive to John Brewer Reef.

It is not hard to describe parts of John Brewer Reef three weeks after cyclone Kirrily. My dive buddy, and one of the best underwater cinematographers in the world, Stuart Ireland, described what was once my favourite underwater crevasse overlaid with massive, perfectly arranged, pink plate corals, he now describes it as:

‘Bull in a China Shop Alley.’

All the corals have been picked-up, flipped-over, and smashed-up, at this section of John Brewer Reef.

The polyps will rebuild their sea-column palaces from the pieces.