this coral islands and reefs grow and shrink naturally It results from complex biological and physical processes that are not yet fully understood. Nowadays, climate change bothers them even morecreating new uncertainties in ocean areas and small island states where states have rights and responsibilities, because maritime boundaries can be changed.
But the scientists argue that more research into the behavior of coral reef islands, along with a host of technologies and new approaches, will help clear up some of the current uncertainties.
A study conducted by researchers at the University of Sydney and published in ‘Environmental Research Letters’ concluded that: rules for atolls and coral reefs in international maritime lawalready complex and open to interpretation by its changing nature, will be under more pressure as sea level rises and ocean acidification degrades the integrity of the reefs.
“A perfect storm of instability and the uncertainty of boundaries that are already difficult to define with great precision‘, says Thomas Fellowes, a postdoctoral fellow in the School of Geosciences at the University of Sydney and lead author of the study.
“Moreover geopolitical implications. Coral reef islands are the legal basis of many large marine areas. Therefore, the climatic disturbances that we are currently seeing and will see in the coming decades may have an impact. significant impact not only on small island states but also on hotly disputed border disputes In places like the South China Sea,” he adds.
concern in several countries
An almost universally recognized treaty signed by 167 countries governs everything from territorial seas, a coastline or the low waterline of a reef to 12 nautical miles to 200 nautical exclusive economic zones. It also regulates freedom of navigation rules and allows nations to use, protect and regulate resources in their territorial waters.
“In coral islands, the outer ‘low waterline’ of the reef is used as the legal basis for the creation of marine zones”says Frances Anggadi, a student at the University of Sydney.
“Potential loss of marine areas due to shifts in reef baselines due to climate change, Serious concern for countries like Kiribati and larger countries like Australiawho depend on reefs and islands to maintain their claims,” he warns.
There is still no clear agreement on whether climate-induced changes in the structural integrity of coral reef islands will create legal vulnerabilities. “Maybe not, and many Pacific Island countries believe so. What is clear is that, The behavior of coral reef islands needs a more detailed understandingtogether with a review of legal normsFriends say.
“Coral reefs vulnerabledevelops only within a certain range of biophysical, oceanic and climatic conditions. But changes in sedimentation (area) due to climate change may increase coral reefs and strengthen some maritime claims. “It’s not entirely clear that there will be only losers,” he says.
Coral reefs in danger
The researchers argue that one solution is to define reef baselines with geographic coordinates such as GPS or remote sensing approaches such as satellite bathymetry. Another possibility isbetter understand how climate change will affect the island’s habitabilityMaintaining human habitation or economic life in a place is another way of establishing a viable treaty claim.”
But for these approaches to work, “more data on each coral reef island system are needed to more accurately define the true scope of current claims and Better understand which aspects of climate change may affect them in the future” highlights the University of Sydney.
According to scientists, there four ways climate change is altering coral reef systems so that they can affect maritime borders: rising sea levels, ocean warming, ocean acidification and rising storms.
Each of these has an impact on the interconnected biophysical processes that drive the creation, expansion, removal and overall structural stability of coral reefs and coral islands.
For example, higher temperatures trigger the “ejection” of symbiotic algae and other invertebratescauses coral bleaching and enough coral organisms die, reef collapse.
Additionally, as the oceans absorb more and more carbon dioxide, they acidify, reducing mineral saturation and making it harder for corals to form. That’s because reef-building species begin to change their skeletal structures to become less dependent on carbonate, compromising the overall integrity of the reef.
Reference work: https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ac8a60
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