Coral bleaching is a phenomenon in which stressed corals expel algae and turn white, often as a result of warming ocean temperatures. The recent event — just the third global bleaching event in recorded history — devastated reefs around the globe. Often called “rainforests of the sea,” coral reefs provide habitat for more than 25 percent of the planet’s marine species and generate goods and services valued at $375 billion each year. The project, titled “Interventions to Increase the Resilience of Coral Reefs,” is expected to take up to two years and will assess both the risks and benefits of intervention strategies. XL CATLIN SEAVIEW SURVEY A snorkeler swims over a dead coral reef in May 2016 after a bleaching event.

Source: Huffington Post February 09, 2018 21:11 UTC