Great Barrier Reef Dead at 25 Million

Posted on June 1, 2017 by GarryRogers

GR: Only portions of the reef are dead now; however the rest is dying. With the level of CO2 we’ve pumped into the atmosphere, global warming including lethal ocean warming will continue. Another of those monuments to human ignorance that an alien visitor might wonder at–unless ocean acidification melts the reef before they get here.

“The Great Barrier Reef has been declared dead by scientists at 25 million years old — bringing an end to the colorful life of the world’s largest single structure of living organisms.

“The incredible Coral Sea wilderness, which stretches for roughly 1,400 miles over an area of roughly 133,00 square miles, has finally succumbed to bleaching.

“The icon of the natural world is bigger than the whole of the United Kingdom and is composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands.

“It is home to 1,625 species of fish, 3,000 mollusks, and 30 different types of whales and dolphins.

“The reef lies off the coast of Queensland in Australia and can be seen from outer space.

“Leading environmentalist writer Rowan Jacobsen declared the incredible structure dead, and wrote: “The Great Barrier Reef of Australia passed away in 2016 after a long illness.“It was 25 million years old.” (Source: Great Barrier Reef dead at 25 million | New York Post)

Great Barrier Reef Australia, Turtle Rehabilitation Program

Posted on November 5, 2014 by GarryRogers

Volunteer At A Rehabilitation Centre Treating Injured & Sick Sea Turtles From The Great Barrier Reef & Cape York Peninsula In Australia. Click To Know More

Source: oceans2earth.org

GR: Here’s a chance to see the Great Barrier Reef and northern Australian coast while learning about and working with turtles.

Research Shows Great Barrier Reef Coral Is Failing

Posted on October 5, 2014 by GarryRogers

As pointed out before, CO2 emissions do more than affect the atmosphere.

Drawing from NOAA PMEL Carbon Program

“When seawater absorbs carbon dioxide (CO₂), chemical reactions cut seawater pH, carbonate ion concentration, and saturation states of biologically important calcium carbonate minerals. Calcium carbonate minerals are the building blocks for the skeletons and shells of many marine organisms. In areas where most life now congregates in the ocean, the seawater is supersaturated with calcium carbonate minerals. This means there are abundant building blocks for organisms to build their skeletons and shells. However, continued ocean acidification is causing many parts of the ocean to become unsaturated and some organisms will have difficulty producing and maintaining their shells” (NOAA).

The following article by Andrew Darby focuses on the Great Barrier Reef.

Lizard Island: A sharp decline in calcium carbonate.

“The skeleton hand of ocean acidification has been found at work near one of Australia’s most exotic tropical destinations, Lizard Island on the Great Barrier Reef.

“Scientists surveying a reef flat just south of the resort island, off Cooktown, have measured a near 40 per cent calcium carbonate decline.”