While the Western Atlantic began to warm and experience bleaching more frequently than other regions at first, the risk of bleaching events has increased most strongly over time in Australasia and the Middle East. The study, published in Science, outlines a "new era" where the interval between bleaching events is becoming too short for a full recovery of mature reefs. Oxygen level measurements were collected by scientists participating in the Global Ocean Oxygen Network, the GO2NE group, a collective of researchers convened by the United Nation's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission in 2016. Unlike most climate change disasters, the case of nutrient-driven ocean oxygen decline can be solved with local actions like improved sewage systems. It takes time to recover from bleaching, and the increased frequency means coral doesn't get the chance to recover before the next outbreak, Eakin said.

Source: The North Africa Journal January 05, 2018 11:03 UTC