Invertebrates are highly sensitive to heat stress, so coral health is closely linked to seawater temperature. Corals turn whitish when stressed. release symbiotic algae They live in organizations. Bleaching indicates that the health of the coral is at risk.
“When a coral bleaches, it doesn’t mean it’s dead. It means it’s weak and at risk of dying if conditions don’t improve,” says Ana Palacio, a scientific assistant at the Oceanic and Atmospheric Research Institute Collaborative Research Institute based at the University of Miami in partnership with NOAA.
Corals are important ecosystems that support a wide variety of fish and aquatic species, helping to nourish coastal communities and attract tourists. The economic value of coral reefs is estimated at $2.7 trillion annually. According to the 2020 report of the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network.
“They protect our coastlines. They protect us from storms and hurricanes. They have great value to our economy and security,” said Palacio.
Coral ecosystems are among the ecosystems that scientists believe are most at risk from global warming. In 2018, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimated that: 70% to 90% of the world’s coral reefs They will disappear if the average global temperature drops. exceeded the threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average.
Last year was the hottest year on record on Earth. The average global temperature has approached that threshold for the first time, but scientists believe 2023 was an anomaly, driven by El Niño.
Experts say bleaching began early in the season as sea surface temperatures soared in Florida.
“Typically, bleaching is observed around August to September in the Northern Hemisphere. We started observing the bleaching phenomenon in July last year,” said marine biologist Fanol Montoya Maya from the Coral Restoration Foundation, an organization that collects, restores, and replants coral.
Palacio said the area has seen widespread mortality of elkhorn and staghorn corals, two species that are the focus of restoration efforts.
“In some places, about 20 percent of those populations survived,” Palacio said of the restored corals. “We’re focusing our hopes on why those corals survived and what they can tell us about resistance, and how corals can become more resilient.”
The last global coral bleaching event occurred in 2014 and lasted until 2017. More than 56% of the world’s coral reef areas experienced temperatures that could cause bleaching during that period.
LM Otero / AP
Manzello said in an email Monday that 54% of the world’s coral reef areas have experienced bleaching-level heat stress in the past year, and this event could be the worst bleaching event on record.
“The proportion of coral reef areas experiencing bleaching-level heat stress is increasing by about 1% every week,” Manzello said. “This event is likely to exceed the previous peak.”
Montoya-Maya said bleaching warnings were already issued in Florida earlier than last year. He said the Coral Restoration Foundation is preparing for a busy summer in response to new bleaching events.
The natural pattern of El Niño is beginning to disappear, and NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center estimates that an El Niño event is possible. There is a 60% chance of a La Niña event occurring this summer.This could cool the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and allow some corals to recover, at least temporarily.
“This is very heartbreaking and will cause damage to many coral reefs around the world,” Palacio said. “I hope this bleaching event creates some traction and people start to care more and pay attention to what’s happening to the climate.”
Source: www.nbcnews.com
