Corals on the Keppel Islands in the Southern Great Barrier Reef have survived and survived a serious bleaching event in 2020. This has been reported by the Australian Marine Research Institute.
A severe coral bleaching near Yeppoon, Australia was part of the 2020 Great Barrier Reef mass bleaching and affected 75-98% of corals around the islands. This was due to the accumulation of heat by the sea, which often led to the death of these creatures. However, it was found that the coral cover in the region remained stable and the mortality rate remained within insignificant limits.
This was found during several series of observations of six reefs in different regions around the Keppel Islands. They were taken in early April 2020 during a marine heat wave that caused severe bleaching. These reefs and three other sites were then re-examined in June and October 2020 to document progress in coral recovery, which has proven positive. Keppel reefs are dominated by fast-growing species of the family. acroporaThe scientists, who are highly susceptible to bleaching, were even more surprised at their survival.
Dr. Kathy Page said the recovery from bleaching is due to a reduction in thermal stress in the region, which can be helped by region-specific environmental factors such as increased turbidity and large tidal currents. But the scientist warned that as the climate warms, corals may not perform as well with repeated bleaching because colder recovery times are shortened, which negates the benefits of higher turbidity and water runoff.
“The reefs in this area are considered ‘severely damaged’ and have been affected by six major floods, four hurricanes, four major storms and six coral bleaching events in the last 30 years caused by marine heat waves,” Page said.
Now scientists set out to find out what makes them so resilient.
ancient scientists to solvethat coral bleaching causes unnecessary fights between fish.