While researchers still assess the full extent of the damage caused by a Marine Heatwave, the Australian Institute of Marine Science has confirmed the most common provisions for West -Australia.
“The length and intensity of the heat stress, and its footprint over several regions, is something that we have never seen before at most reefs in WA,” said James Gilmour, senior research scientist at the Institute.
“Areas that had given us hope because they rarely or had not bleached before, such as the Rowley Shoals, North Kimberley and Ningaloo, were hit hard this time.”
Sensitive to heat stress, corals expel the algae that live in warm water in their tissues, making it turned out to be coral.
Bleeks is not always fatal, but if underwater heat is extended and serious, corals can die.
The temperature of the sea surface temperatures in Australia last summer were the warmest on record since 1900, with coral weather forth in January.
The conditions varied over the tropical reefs of 1500 km – from “extreme”, or 90 percent bleached or death, to “medium”, somewhere between 11 percent and 30 percent.
Mermaid and Clerke Reefs in The Rowley Shoals, 300 km west of Broome, registered “very high” mortality levels, between 61 percent and 90 percent.
The World Heritage-Genter Ningaloo Rif, known for its whale sharks, experienced “high” bleach and death between 31 percent and 60 percent.
Dr. Gilmour said that climate change was controlling the increased frequency and severity of mass coral pale events and gave them little time to bounce in between.
“They need 10 to 15 years to fully recover,” he said.
“The key to helping coral reefs to survive under climate change is reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”
Improving water quality and the occurrence of overfishing can also support the reef health.
The Great Barrier Reef has also been under pressure and experiences the largest annual decline of coral cover in two of its three regions in 2024.
Heat stress was largely responsible, with predator outbreaks and cyclones that also damage the expansive ecosystem.
The updates on Coral Health -land before the expected release of the climate goals of the federal government, in September, in September according to the rules of the Paris Agreement.
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