Great Barrier Reef is facing a lot of threats in recent times. The rapidly rising pollution levels have impacted the Earth in a lot of adverse ways. The coral reef bleaching is one such problem.
The bleaching usually takes place when the corals suffer a significant amount of stress. The main reason for the bleaching of the corals is the excessive stress from the summer heat. The high temperatures during the summer season raise the temperature of the water to a great extent.
It also makes the water exposed to ultraviolet rays. The corals are very much sensitive to changes in temperatures. A slight increase in one degree Celsius for a month can stimulate the bleaching process. Thus, global warming is one of the main culprits for the growing threat of coral bleaching.
The large-scale usage of fossil fuels is the main contributor to global warming. Harmful carbon components are released into the atmosphere making the environment volatile. All these gases form an impenetrable layer in our atmosphere. The layer traps heat which results in the rising of the surface temperature of the Earth.
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The temperature rise can be disastrous in many ways. The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is one of the biggest natural beauty in the world. Unfortunately, rapid changes in climate conditions have affected the reef drastically. The reef is facing a serious threat of bleaching recently.
This is largely because of the continuous high temperature. Australia experienced an insane amount of high temperatures in the last four months of 2021. Temperatures soared unexpectedly and left the corals at high risk. Analysts are very much concerned about the possible mass bleaching.
Experts are not sure about how much stress the corals will be undergoing due to high temperatures. Let us learn more about the story in detail below.
Great Barrier Reef: Corals Under Serious Threat
The Great Barrier Reef had a tough time in 2021. According to data published by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), temperatures have been very high since September. This insane amount of heatwave persisted till the 14th of December.
The continuing high temperatures created unwanted stress on the corals. The extent of the heatwave can be understood by one simple statistic. The minimum temperature that was recorded during the period was way higher than the highest temperature ever recorded.
William Skirving is an experienced scientist who studies coral reefs. Skirving said that such high levels of temperature have never been recorded previously. William also stated that the rising temperatures were very much out of character.
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He was almost certain of the fact that all these hinted towards rapid change in the climate. William said that such climatic changes can have a disastrous impact on the planet as a whole. Let us learn more about the possible bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef in detail.
On High Alert
The Great Barrier Reef is on high alert. They are facing the danger of mass coral bleaching very soon. The temperatures of the ocean rose by 0.5°C. This was higher than what the corals have ever experienced previously.
Such data have made scientists very much concerned about the future. They are afraid about what will happen to the corals once the bleaching takes place this year. However, there is still good news on offer. According to the researchers, all is not lost yet. The situation can still very much be controlled.
In order to avoid mass bleaching, the weather has to change rapidly. Consistent periods of rainfall, cloud cover, and low temperature can improve the situation drastically. Scientists have said that such accounts of bleaching will be a common occurrence as global temperatures continue to rise.
The Great Barrier Reef has already experienced the event several times in the past.
