Great Barrier Reef, unprecedented whitening

(ANSA) - SYDNEY, APRIL 7 - Unprecedented bleaching.
This is how the Australian Great Barrier Reef appears after the record water temperatures in February. According to an aerial survey of more than 1000 individual barriers, conducted by Townsville's James Cook University, the heat caused the third mass bleaching in just five years hitting a quarter of its entire 2300km extension. The phenomenon occurs when, due to the high temperatures, the corals under stress expel tiny photosynthetic algae, depriving them of the colors. Terry Hughes, director of the University's Center of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, conducted the aerial survey over nine days in the second half of March and compiled maps showing high levels of bleaching in 2020 in all and three sections of the barrier: northern, central and southern. It is the first time that this has occurred since mass bleaching was observed in 1998. The barrier has undergone severe bleaching four more times, in the years 2002, 2016, 2017 and now 2020, all caused by the rise in marine temperatures linked to global warming.
Corals may recover from mild bleaching, but scientists warn that they are now more susceptible to the disease. Measures to improve their resilience include improving water quality, controlling 'crown of thorns' starfish, poison spines and responsible for highly destructive invasions to coral damage, as well as research and development to strengthen coral tolerance to heat . "None of this can replace strong emissions action," warns Hughes, however. "Addressing the climate problem is the foundation for any other measures to be effective," he adds. The Great Barrier Reef extends off the northeast coast of Australia and is the largest living structure in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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