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Study: Great Barrier Reef Sees Worst Growth Rate in 400 Years
Scientists from the Australian Institute of Marine Science report that the Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest reef system (visible from space), is facing historic peril. Not that this is news. Mother Jones has reported extensively on the subject. But new research published in the journal Science includes the largest study to date about environmental damage to Australia's reefs.
The reef is experiencing is slowest growth rate in nearly 400 years, and gone unchecked, could lead to zero growth by 2050, says Glenn De'ath, the study's co-author. "When you disturb an ecosystem in this way, you get a cascading effect. You then get a chain reaction -- the fish habitat is lost."
What's to blame? The usual suspect: global warming. Rising sea temperatures are causing coral bleaching, in which corals release the algae which nourish them. The effect is grimly obvious underwater, where previously vibrantly colored reefs come appear like piles of bones. Without algae, corals eventually die. Says De'ath, "We may have seriously underestimated the rate of climate change and this should compel us to drastic steps to decarbonise Australian and global economic systems."
Photo used under a Creative Commons license from Leonard Low.
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The EU's new president, Mr. Klaus(no relationship to Santa Claus) believes that global warming is a myth, like the old Norse gods. More and more people are beginning to speak like this, such as the UK's Environmental Minister and the Pope. The opposition to Al Gore is starting to rally after the cold winter that we are having. Al Gore promised us global warming, instead, we got global cooling. Al, is a false prophet.
The opposition to Al Gore is starting to rally after the cold winter that we are having. Al Gore promised us global warming, instead, we got global cooling. Al, is a false prophet.
That's some weapons-grade stupid.
Alice - do you understand that it's currently summer in the Southern Hemisphere?
And that glaciers worldwide(including Greenland) are melting at a pace never before recorded?
And Arctic sea ice is likewise at the lowest summer levels ever recorded?
What you see outside your window is weather - not to be confused with climate. And local weather patterns are influenced by global climate. Some places will get colder, some will get hotter - some will get wetter, some drier.
The comfort zone we humans have become accustomed to is at risk; denying that there is a human impact on climate is a fool's errand. Even if human's only contribute 10% of the causes, if the planet is in a warming trend, it will be 10% worse than if we took action to reduce our impact. That 10% may be the straw to break the proverbial camel's back, insofar as human habitability is concerned.
To personalize it - I don't have cancer or emphysema yet, and may not ever contract either, but that doesn't mean quitting smoking is a bad idea. Which, by the way, I'm working on.