The remaining corals have now regained their vibrant colour. Tory Chase, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies., Author provided Healthy coral in the southern Great Barrier Reef in November 2016. Unfortunately, most of the losses in 2016 have occurred in this northern, most pristine part of the Great Barrier Reef. They reported no change over this extended period in the amount of corals in the remote, northern region. To put these losses in context, over the 27 years from 1985 to 2012, scientists from the Australian Institute of Marine Science measured the gradual loss of 51% of corals on the central and southern regions of the Great Barrier Reef. The dieback of corals due to bleaching in just 8-9 months is the largest loss ever recorded for the Great Barrier Reef. In the northern third of the Great Barrier Reef, we recorded an average (median) loss of 67% of coral cover on a large sample of 60 reefs. We undertook extensive underwater surveys at the peak of bleaching in March and April, and again at the same sites in October and November. This year’s event was more extreme than the two previous mass bleachings. The Great Barrier Reef bleached severely for the first time in 1998, then in 2002, and now again in 2016. James Cook University and Australian Institute of Marine Science provide funding as members of The Conversation AU.Īfter they bleach, these stressed corals either slowly regain their zooxanthellae and colour as temperatures cool off, or else they die. James Kerry does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Terry Hughes receives competitive research funding from the Australian Research Councilīritta Schaffelke works for the Australian Institute of Marine Science, a publicly funded research organization that receives funding from the Australian Government, foundations, State Government Departments and private industry. Senior Research Officer, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University Research Program Leader - A Healthy and Sustainable Great Barrier Reef, Australian Institute of Marine Science Distinguished Professor, James Cook University, James Cook University
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