Two Thirds of the Great Barrier Reef Bleached

[Coyote]

The Great Barrier Reef is estimated 9,000 years old. They aren't the polar bears that capture the popular attention...but they are the habitat and engines for a huge ecosystem. Ya...there's no global warming


Great Barrier Reef at 'terminal stage': scientists despair at latest coral bleaching data

Scientists with the Australian Research Council’s Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies last week completed aerial surveys of the world’s largest living structure, scoring bleaching at 800 individual coral reefs across 8,000km.


The results show the two consecutive mass bleaching events have affected a 1,500km stretch, leaving only the reef’s southern third unscathed.


Where last year’s bleaching was concentrated in the reef’s northern third, the 2017 event spread further south, and was most intense in the middle section of the Great Barrier Reef. This year’s mass bleaching, second in severity only to 2016, has occurred even in the absence of an El Niño event.

Mass bleaching – a phenomenon caused by global warming-induced rises to sea surface temperatures – has occurred on the reef four times in recorded history.


Prof Terry Hughes, who led the surveys, said the length of time coral needed to recover – about 10 years for fast-growing types – raised serious concerns about the increasing frequency of mass bleaching events.


“The significance of bleaching this year is that it’s back to back, so there’s been zero time for recovery,” Hughes told the Guardian. “It’s too early yet to tell what the full death toll will be from this year’s bleaching, but clearly it will extend 500km south of last year’s bleaching.”​

 

[saveliberty]

Coral bleaching occurs from other factors besides temperature. The biggest driver of a temperature related bleaching would be an El Nino, which did not occur this last year, so rather unlikely as the cause.

 

[TNHarley]

because coral bleaching started during the industrial revolution!

 

[TNHarley]

seriously coyote, reefs live on edge their entire lives.. 1 degree over a period of days can cause bleaching. It isn't surprising.
What is surprising is that big thing lasted this long.

 

[Jimmy_Chitwood]

The Great Barrier Reef is estimated 9,000 years old. They aren't the polar bears that capture the popular attention...but they are the habitat and engines for a huge ecosystem. Ya...there's no global warming


Great Barrier Reef at 'terminal stage': scientists despair at latest coral bleaching data

Scientists with the Australian Research Council’s Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies last week completed aerial surveys of the world’s largest living structure, scoring bleaching at 800 individual coral reefs across 8,000km.


The results show the two consecutive mass bleaching events have affected a 1,500km stretch, leaving only the reef’s southern third unscathed.


Where last year’s bleaching was concentrated in the reef’s northern third, the 2017 event spread further south, and was most intense in the middle section of the Great Barrier Reef. This year’s mass bleaching, second in severity only to 2016, has occurred even in the absence of an El Niño event.

Mass bleaching – a phenomenon caused by global warming-induced rises to sea surface temperatures – has occurred on the reef four times in recorded history.


Prof Terry Hughes, who led the surveys, said the length of time coral needed to recover – about 10 years for fast-growing types – raised serious concerns about the increasing frequency of mass bleaching events.


“The significance of bleaching this year is that it’s back to back, so there’s been zero time for recovery,” Hughes told the Guardian. “It’s too early yet to tell what the full death toll will be from this year’s bleaching, but clearly it will extend 500km south of last year’s bleaching.”​

Clorox kills.

 

[Mousterian]

The biggest driver of a temperature related bleaching would be an El Nino, which did not occur this last year, so rather unlikely as the cause.

Fact is, the temperatures in this area have risen to the point where bleaching occurs in a 'normal' year.
The Reef is dying, and the local Government is pushing ahead with the biggest coal-mine ever.
Severe coral bleaching hits two-thirds of Great Barrier Reef, aerial surveys show

 

[SSDD]

First it was the polar bears that were dying...till they weren't...
Then it was the pacific islands that were going to sink...till they didn't.
Then it was the impending doom of amphibians...till it wasn't.
Then it was the penguins that were going to die...till they didn't.
Then it was the walrus that was going the way of the dodo...till they didn't.

Then it was this and then it was that that was going to die due to climate change....till it didn't.

The great barrier reef is just the latest totem that the imaginary climate disaster is going to kill...till it doesn't...it is big...it is famous...and lots of people would be sad if it died...all the right ingredients for the next "sky is falling" moment for the environmental left.

And when the reef is recovered in a year or so...it will be something else and something else and something else...how many times do the envirowackos get to cry wolf before you weenies wake up to the fact that you are being played?

 

[Old Rocks]

SSo DDumb, ever hear of links? Or do you realize that you are so full of shit that there are no credible links for your nonsense.

 

[Coyote]

Coral bleaching occurs from other factors besides temperature. The biggest driver of a temperature related bleaching would be an El Nino, which did not occur this last year, so rather unlikely as the cause.

Coral bleaching occurs from other factors besides temperature. The biggest driver of a temperature related bleaching would be an El Nino, which did not occur this last year, so rather unlikely as the cause.

What is disturbing is this: Prof Terry Hughes, who led the surveys, said the length of time coral needed to recover – about 10 years for fast-growing types – raised serious concerns about the increasing frequency of mass bleaching events.

It's happening more frequently...

 

[Coyote]

.

First it was the polar bears that were dying...till they weren't...
Then it was the pacific islands that were going to sink...till they didn't.
Then it was the impending doom of amphibians...till it wasn't.
Then it was the penguins that were going to die...till they didn't.
Then it was the walrus that was going the way of the dodo...till they didn't.

Then it was this and then it was that that was going to die due to climate change....till it didn't.

The great barrier reef is just the latest totem that the imaginary climate disaster is going to kill...till it doesn't...it is big...it is famous...and lots of people would be sad if it died...all the right ingredients for the next "sky is falling" moment for the environmental left.

And when the reef is recovered in a year or so...it will be something else and something else and something else...how many times do the envirowackos get to cry wolf before you weenies wake up to the fact that you are being played?

It's TEN YEARS for the fast growing corals to recover, far longer for the others.

 

[Old Rocks]

Yes, coral bleaching getting more frequent, extreme weather events getting more frequent, sea ice at both poles at record lows, but nothing is happening, and global warming is just a hoax. Ask the President.

 

[SSDD]

SSo DDumb, ever hear of links? Or do you realize that you are so full of shit that there are no credible links for your nonsense.

Sorry rocks...it is you who is pushing nonsense...tell me, are you really going to claim that the items I listed above weren't public statements made by either the climate science community, or in the mainstream media to which the climate science community made no attempt to correct the statement?

And as to the Great Barrier Reef....for all the hand wringing hysteria...and supposedly "expert" assessment, can you tell me what percentage of the bleaching was due to storms.... and what percent was due to attack by crown of thorns starfish.... what percentage was due to exposure due to very low tides....can you tell me the depth to which the bleaching occurred.....and did they mention in that supposedly "expert" analysis that bleaching isn't the same as dying....not by a long shot?...

The answer to all those questions would be a resounding NO...because it wasn't an expert analysis..which would have determined the answers to those questions before the public ever heard about it.....it was just one more example of hysterical hand wringing, sky is falling, pseudoscientific bullshit.

 

[Marion Morrison]

There's other reefs.

The World's 10 Most Amazing Coral Reefs (PHOTOS)

They may not compare in size. Has anyone ever considered it could be bacteria or fertilizer runoff killing the reefs? Aye?

Or is it just the quick jump to: Zomg! Global warmin's doin' it!

 

[Old Rocks]

SSo DDumb, ever hear of links? Or do you realize that you are so full of shit that there are no credible links for your nonsense.

Sorry rocks...it is you who is pushing nonsense...tell me, are you really going to claim that the items I listed above weren't public statements made by either the climate science community, or in the mainstream media to which the climate science community made no attempt to correct the statement?

And as to the Great Barrier Reef....for all the hand wringing hysteria...and supposedly "expert" assessment, can you tell me what percentage of the bleaching was due to storms.... and what percent was due to attack by crown of thorns starfish.... what percentage was due to exposure due to very low tides....can you tell me the depth to which the bleaching occurred.....and did they mention in that supposedly "expert" analysis that bleaching isn't the same as dying....not by a long shot?...

The answer to all those questions would be a resounding NO...because it wasn't an expert analysis..which would have determined the answers to those questions before the public ever heard about it.....it was just one more example of hysterical hand wringing, sky is falling, pseudoscientific bullshit.

You are the one peddling bullshit, boy.

Coral bleaching - GBRMPA

What causes coral bleaching
The main cause of coral bleaching is heat stress resulting from high sea temperatures.Temperature increases of only one degree celsius for only four weeks can trigger bleaching events.

If these temperatures persist for longer periods (eight weeks or more) corals begin to die. High water temperatures can affect reefs at regional and global scale.

Other stressors can also cause bleaching, including freshwater inundation (low salinity) and poor water quality from sediment or pollutant run-off.

When you see bleaching events that affect corals all over the globe at the same time, about the only common factor is water temperature.

 

[Old Rocks]

There's other reefs.

The World's 10 Most Amazing Coral Reefs (PHOTOS)

They may not compare in size. Has anyone ever considered it could be bacteria or fertilizer runoff killing the reefs? Aye?

Or is it just the quick jump to: Zomg! Global warmin's doin' it!

Well, when you find that the most common factor in the bleaching is a long term increase in water temperature, that is hardly a quick jump to conclusion. Scientists have studied and are studying the bleaching of the corals, as that represents the death of one of the most productive ecosystems on earth.

 

[Marion Morrison]

SSo DDumb, ever hear of links? Or do you realize that you are so full of shit that there are no credible links for your nonsense.

Sorry rocks...it is you who is pushing nonsense...tell me, are you really going to claim that the items I listed above weren't public statements made by either the climate science community, or in the mainstream media to which the climate science community made no attempt to correct the statement?

And as to the Great Barrier Reef....for all the hand wringing hysteria...and supposedly "expert" assessment, can you tell me what percentage of the bleaching was due to storms.... and what percent was due to attack by crown of thorns starfish.... what percentage was due to exposure due to very low tides....can you tell me the depth to which the bleaching occurred.....and did they mention in that supposedly "expert" analysis that bleaching isn't the same as dying....not by a long shot?...

The answer to all those questions would be a resounding NO...because it wasn't an expert analysis..which would have determined the answers to those questions before the public ever heard about it.....it was just one more example of hysterical hand wringing, sky is falling, pseudoscientific bullshit.

You are the one peddling bullshit, boy.

Coral bleaching - GBRMPA

What causes coral bleaching
The main cause of coral bleaching is heat stress resulting from high sea temperatures.Temperature increases of only one degree celsius for only four weeks can trigger bleaching events.

If these temperatures persist for longer periods (eight weeks or more) corals begin to die. High water temperatures can affect reefs at regional and global scale.

Other stressors can also cause bleaching, including freshwater inundation (low salinity) and poor water quality from sediment or pollutant run-off.

When you see bleaching events that affect corals all over the globe at the same time, about the only common factor is water temperature.

Where's the links to the scientific studies with control groups and things like that?

PS: Bleaching doesn't mean the coral's going to die.

 

[Old Rocks]

Coral bleaching - GBRMPA

What is coral bleaching?

Warmer water temperatures can result in coral bleaching. When water is too warm, corals will expel the algae (zooxanthellae) living in their tissues causing the coral to turn completely white. This is called coral bleaching. When a coral bleaches, it is not dead. Corals can survive a bleaching event, but they are under more stress and are subject to mortality.

In 2005, the U.S. lost half of its coral reefs in the Caribbean in one year due to a massive bleaching event. The warm waters centered around the northern Antilles near the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico expanded southward. Comparison of satellite data from the previous 20 years confirmed that thermal stress from the 2005 event was greater than the previous 20 years combined.

Not all bleaching events are due to warm water.

In January 2010, cold water temperatures in the Florida Keys caused a coral bleaching event that resulted in some coral death. Water temperatures dropped 12.06 degrees Fahrenheit lower than the typical temperatures observed at this time of year. Researchers will evaluate if this cold-stress event will make corals more susceptible to disease in the same way that warmer waters impact corals.

Coral bleaching and the Great Barrier Reef – ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies

Climate change and coral bleaching

Globally, our climate is undergoing fundamental shifts, both in changing average weather conditions and the frequency of extreme weather events. Most notably, the Earth’s climate system is unequivocally warming, and it is extremely likely (at least 95% probability) that these changes are in large part a result of human activities.

Corals inhabiting tropical coral reefs are thermally sensitive, meaning that they can only tolerate small temperature ranges. However, climate change is causing abnormally high sea-surface temperatures, which is causing corals to bleach during summer months (see below for detail). The intensity of coral bleaching increases as temperatures become hotter.

The Great Barrier Reef has experienced two major bleaching events in recent decades, in the summers of 1998 and 2002 when, respectively, 42% and 54% of reefs were affected by bleaching.

There are 3, now why not cease being so lazy and look many more studies up for yourself? Or are you simply looking for a 'gotcha'? If so why not admit that you will never read or consider what the scientists are finding. And that you simply wish to mindlessly repeat the lies of the anti-science crowd here.

 

[Old Rocks]

Once the coral has been bleached long enough and become covered with algea, they are dead. A back to back bleaching event like we are seeing with the Great Barrier Reef is the beginning of that process.

 

[Marion Morrison]

Once the coral has been bleached long enough and become covered with algea, they are dead. A back to back bleaching event like we are seeing with the Great Barrier Reef is the beginning of that process.

Things change, baby. Giving money to globalists in the name of "Climate Change" is not going to stop that.

The things I have to ask is: Were there studies done on the PPM of Nitrogen, or Phosphorous, Bacteria, etc. in addition to the temp of the water?

You do know more Nitrogen in da wawa = more Algae, correct?

I want to see a link to a controlled experiment proving Coral bleaching is due to solely water temperature changes, please.

 

[Old Rocks]

Now in what way are we giving money to globalists? That is just a diversion because you are unable to show that the adverse affects of Global Warming is not happening. Such answers on your part simply demonstrate how intellectually lazy you are.