The extent and severity of the coral die-off recorded in the Great Barrier Reef surprised even the researchers. “Averaged across the whole Great Barrier Reef, we lost 30% of the corals in the nine-month period between March and November 2016.”The scientists set out to map the impact of the 2016 marine heatwave on coral along the 2,300km length of the Great Barrier Reef. The loss of coral cover along the Great Barrier Reef in 2016. The researchers estimate half of the corals in shallow-water habitats in the northern Great Barrier Reef have been lost. “The Great Barrier Reef is certainly threatened by climate change, but it is not doomed if we deal very quickly with greenhouse gas emissions.

Source: The Guardian April 18, 2018 18:00 UTC