Scary outlook for Coral Reefs

[reedman]

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2006-03-30-caribbean-coral_x.htm


excerps from the article:

Early conservative estimates from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands find that about one-third of the coral in official monitoring sites has recently died.

"It's an unprecedented die-off," said National Park Service fisheries biologist Jeff Miller, who last week checked 40 stations in the Virgin Islands. "The mortality that we're seeing now is of the extremely slow-growing reef-building corals. These are corals that are the foundation of the reef ... We're talking colonies that were here when Columbus came by have died in the past three to four months."

"The prognosis is not good," said biochemistry professor M. James Crabbe of the University of Luton near London. In early April, he will investigate coral reef mortality in Jamaica. "If you want to see a coral reef, go now, because they just won't survive in their current state."

 

[Blazer88]

I read the same story on CNN, horrible news. I heard one coral that was almost 800 years old have died completely I heard it was something about warming waters and such. Either way, coral propagation is now even more important than ever to preserve the reefs, or what is left of them.

 

[spongebob lover]

It's horrible !!!

 

[kcharm]

While this is certainly not good, I would caution against being too reactionary. In the 50's, the scientific community was panic stricken over global cooling! The way this amazing ecosytem we call earth works is truly incredible. Just when the scientific community thinks they've got it all figured out, ma nature sends them a curve ball.

So, what can we all do? The simple things locally are a great place to start.

Do you drive a gas guzzling vehicle? Start taking the bus more or buy something more fuel effecient.

Do you recycle? Start.

Do you ever accidently toss away that wraper from the mint you grabbed from the bowl at the restaurant? Make sure it's thrown away properly.

Basically, making sure that all of the resources that you use are as sustainable as possible or recyclable will directly impact what happens in your home town AND afar. To demonstrate how far reaching your impacts can be, check out this 'research.' http://www.seabean.com/ThingsThatFloat/duckies/

My point is, worry about what you're doing at home and everything from the tropics to the poles will benefit.

 

[Willy]

http://www.solcomhouse.com/coralreef.htm

Its not just the Caribbean.

Google "coral reef die off" theres lots of info there

 

[Electrokate]

This actually has been happening for years but nobody heeds the call. Just think of a world without reefs, mass disaster and heartbreaking. 3 rare whales washed up today in Florida, totally starved to death. Seabirds have been starving to death off the coast of Oregon for the last few years, and there is no trace of their normal food but higher than normal temperatures which do kill said food. We have Humboldt squid dropping in all the way to Alaska when they shouldn't be north of Monterrey California.
Unfortunately whether or not you believe in global warming these things have happened. WE know that abnormal heating and cooling kills coral so we will understand that when they say 90% of the coral died in an area where the sea was at 90 degrees for a week, we can infer that's the expected outcome of the conditions. I went and snorkeled on the Pacific side of Mexico last year, the dive crew said apologetically that it used to be much nicer but the sea was at 87 degrees for a while the prior summer and the coral, gorgonians and polyps died. Saw a lot of white there, but a few bits of hard and soft coral were making a comeback. One can only hope that in shaded areas and spots where deeper ocean waves well up enough polyps survive to work their way back.
And we have to be responsible for ourselves. Again, whether or not you believe in global warming we do have a problem with running out of space to build, farm, kick back, dump garbage, get water, and get away from it all. Our population keeps on growing so we need to have better habits and pass them on.
That said, you know flourescent/pc bulbs are hazmat? They keep ending up in the garbage... There's something we can improve on. Using less electricity would be nice, wish the lighting industry was going with more efficient lighting for all of us. My Dad said the Germans developed a car that gets 130 MPG. I hope every year things get better, and that in the meantime my little contribution to the planet is a positive one.
Some people say that this is a good thing because soon we will have coral all up both coasts and reefs in puget sound. Boy is that dumb. I guess they forgot about winter temps, and the global warming theory includes many areas of cooling and harsher winters, more contrast overall... that would include for the pacific NW. So we'd be blasted in the summer and frozen in winter. Fun.
Kate

 

[Willy]

How bout those dying coral reefs????.............sad sad sad