VOINews, Australia: The ocean temperatures within and around Australia’s Great Barrier Reef (GBR) have reached their highest levels in over 400 years, posing a severe threat to the iconic coral reef, according to recent findings by researchers.
In a new study, a team of Australian scientists reconstructed sea surface temperature data from 1618 to 1995 by analyzing coral skeleton samples from within and around the GBR. They then combined this data with recorded observations from 1900 to 2024. The researchers found that in 2024, 2020, and 2017, the Coral Sea, located off the northeastern coast of Australia and home to several coral reefs including the GBR, recorded its highest temperatures in 400 years, with 2024 being the warmest year on record.
Coral bleaching occurs when ocean temperatures rise too high, causing heat stress to the corals. This stress leads to the expulsion of algae living in the coral tissues, turning the corals white. The researchers warn that the warming temperatures and mass coral bleaching events threaten to devastate the ecology, biodiversity, and beauty of the GBR, the world’s largest coral reef system and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
"Without swift, coordinated, and ambitious global action to combat climate change, we are likely to witness the destruction of one of the most spectacular natural wonders on Earth," said Benjamin Henley, the lead researcher in this study from the University of Melbourne, in a media release.
According to the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), a government-funded research organization, bleached corals are not dead but can die if the conditions persist or become extreme. AIMS is one of three government agencies that confirmed in April that the majority of the GBR experienced coral bleaching during the summer of 2023/2024, marking the fifth widespread bleaching event since 2016.
The recent study also found that the mass coral bleaching events in recent years coincide with five of the six hottest years within the 400-year period analyzed in the research.
The alarming rise in ocean temperatures and the resulting coral bleaching highlight the urgent need for global action to protect the GBR and other vulnerable ecosystems. The ongoing climate crisis poses an existential threat to the reef’s diverse marine life and its role as a critical natural habitat. As researchers and environmental advocates continue to call for stronger climate action, the fate of the GBR hangs in the balance, underscoring the broader challenges of preserving our planet’s natural heritage./ANTARA/VOI
