Great Barrier Reef Under Threat by Julie Murphy

The fastest growers might take 10 to 15 years to recover, while the big, mature corals can take decades or centuries, according to Mark Eakin of NOAA's Coral Reef Watch. In fact, about 30 percent of corals on the reef have died since the 2016 mass bleaching event. Another marine heat wave hit the Reef in 2017, bleaching even more corals.Ĭoral can recover from bleaching, but that doesn’t always happen.

This can happen on a vast scale, in what’s called a “mass bleaching event.” In 2016, the Reef experienced a mass bleaching event that scientists say was made 175 times more likely by climate change.

Unless the coral has a chance to recover and the algae can return, it can die. But when it becomes stressed by warmer and more acidic waters, coral expels this algae and turns white – a phenomenon known as “coral bleaching.” Bleaching weakens the coral and it may begin to starve. Why? Many coral reefs – including the Great Barrier Reef – depend on the colorful algae that live throughout their nooks and crannies to survive. So as our oceans become warmer and more acidic, the Reef has suffered. The result: water becomes more acidic and a lot less friendly to marine life. It’s admittedly a mouthful, but ocean acidification is what happens when the extra CO2 in the atmosphere (think: fossil fuel emissions) dissolves into the oceans and becomes carbonic acid. The Great Barrier Reef is under threat because of climate changeĬlimate change is one of the greatest threats to the future of the Great Barrier Reef for a few reasons. When you think of the Great Barrier Reef, you probably think of its majestic beauty and its marine life – and perhaps that it’s been on your vacation bucket list for a few years (ours too!).Īt nearly 1,500 miles long, the reef is home to roughly 9,000 species of fish, mollusks, whales, sea turtles, and other marine life.īut did you know that it’s in a great deal of trouble?

Great Barrier Reef Under Threat by Julie Murphy