Runoff from recent floods in northern Australia is flowing onto parts of the Barrier Reef, scientists said Friday, starving coral of light and providing fodder for the predatory crown-of-thorns starfish. Scientists at James Cook University say the floods swelled a number of rivers along hundreds of kilometers of coastline, spilling sediment onto the reef which has reduced water quality and much-needed sunlight. “Coral reef and seagrass need light to maintain their growth and health,” researcher Jane Waterhouse from James Cook University told AFP. The predatory crown-of-thorns starfish, which eat coral, have also proliferated on the reef due to pollution and agricultural runoff. The recent floods have exacerbated the runoff, causing algae to grow in some areas.

Source: Egypt Independent February 15, 2019 07:07 UTC