Australia's Great Barrier Reef is a sparkling gem - the world's largest coral reef ecosystem - filled with a wide variety of Marine life. But new research shows that it is in a sharp decline, half of the coral reef disappeared in the past 27 years.
In Australia Marine science research institute and the common author,'s catalina bursa of fabricius, coral reefs ecologists told LiveScience, she has been diving and working in rocks, since 1988 - and watch the decline. "I hear change there are rumors that this is the first long-term overall state of coral reef see. There are a lot of fish, you can see the huge clam, but not the same color and diversity, and in the past."
To get their data, bursa of fabricius and her colleagues investigated 214 different coral reef near the Great Barrier Reef, assembly material, from the 2258 survey to determine in the 1985 and 2012 rate of descent. They estimate coral coverage of submarine living coral cover, or amount.
This whole fell by 50%, they estimate that loss every year about 3.4% of coral reefs. Great Barrier Reef, photo through time and space]
But they did find some local differences, relatively primitive northern areas, in the past twenty years not drop.
Cyclone and starfish
Rock fall, detailed introduction of the national academy of sciences this week's proceedings of, can achieve the following several factors, they found. Smash, tropical cyclone, crown spine starfish eat coral and promote agricultural nutrient losses, coral bleaching high temperature, which are on the rise, due to the climate change of the biggest factors. (coral bleaching occurs ocean temperature lead to coral to evict them zooxanthella - XiaoGuang cooperation with algae, live in coral organization.
Other coral experts said, and they have found a sharp decline. "This is a very serious was a wake-up call," John Bruno said, in the university of north Carolina at chapel hill biologists. "GBR [big barrier reef], this in 10 years ago considered the world's most original and elastic coral reef is clearly no better shut down and not mitigate the threats than any other reef. I have a long-term survival of the coral reefs, but such scientific challenge prospects."
Save reef
As for what can be done to save the rocks, or what is left, someone says to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions is the key. "Upper limit and reduce carbon emissions international effort is equally important, must appear in the same time, clean up the local influence, rice said:" in Boston university biologist kaufman, who is climate change and coral reefs international consensus statement.
Bursa of fabricius said, not too much can do in the short term to climate change driver frequency in the past seven years have a category 5 storm on the coral reef - or high temperature cyclone - five categories. However, there are efforts to prevent starfish, it can grow up to 3 feet (0.9 meters) in diameter, and a motion sting and 21 weapon damage caused. Young starfish feed coral algae, leaving the coral skeletons.
A project to encourage farmers to take practice, limiting the nutrition rich runoff into the reef area. Another tour operators will allow manual delete starfish tourist area, bursa of fabricius admit that is no way out, just a temporary solution.
Another method is to study how to use natural starfish starfish digital usually keep a low disease. "Starfish usually is rare, bursa of fabricius said." "We want to help the nature, let them rare." Research shows that reef reconstruction in the 20-30 years, although cyclone and bleaching, if starfish population death.
Experts agree that doing nothing is a kind of choice, in this point. "The question is totally soluble in water, can save coral reef through concerted efforts, this, the following two or three generations," kaufman said. "There's absolutely no reason not to do so, if we fail, our generation will always remember do not imagine, unforgivable stupid and lazy."




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