# Study: Great Barrier Reef Has Lost Half Its Coral



## SAPUB (Oct 17, 2012)

Australia's Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest coral reef system and one of the world's most popular tourist attractions, has lost more than half of its coral since 1985, according to researchers at the Australian Institute of Marine Science.

The reef can be seen from outer space and supports life such as sea turtles, whales, dolphins, and more—but one of its inhabitants, the crown-of-thorns starfish, preys on coral and has been one of the major causes for the reef's decline. According to the analysis, 48 percent of the decline in coral has been from storm damage, 42 percent from the crown of thorns starfish, and 10 percent from coral bleaching, which can be caused by increased water temperatures, bacterial infection, or changes in water chemistry. （from USA science news）


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## LTruex (Nov 8, 2012)

Sapub, aside from what may be thought of as the obvious (polution) consider if you will the global warming is both lower the salinity of the water, reducing the current circulation on a global scale and most important raising the sea level...I mention the latter as most important, for if you look closely at coral locations they seem depth sensitive, for they like not too deep or shallow waters. Now that is not to say they don't adjust...just that the changes today are very fast and that gives no time for adjustment.I would like to add, that time mentioned is geology time not our time...for by comparison how long does it take for coral to build a reef? now how fast is the water changes on todays scale? Larry


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