Massive Carribbean coral reef die off

[Crit21]

Looks like the Carribbean coral reefs have suffered a massive die-off in the past few months. researchers are saying it will probably never recover.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science/03/31/coral.death.ap/index.html

[Crit21]

"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."

[PSEUDOREEFER]

"The big problem for coral is the question of whether they can adapt sufficiently quickly to cope with climate change," Crabbe said. "I think the evidence we have at the moment is: No, they can't."

The bleaching project and experiments I've done over about the past year and a half prove otherwise :D

[Crit21]

Experiment or mishap?

Anyway, what concerns me is the speed of the decline in corals. You have to wonder what will eventually move in to replace the corals. My guess would be all kinds of algae.

[PSEUDOREEFER]

Experiment or mishap?

Oddly enough... experiment :) Don't worry, experiments are in a small isolated system on small fragments that for the most part make full recoveries :D

[COreefer]

Yes algae is taking over the oceans..the excessive carbon in the atmosphere is being converted to algae blooms throughout the ocean. It's the earth's way of cleansing itself and is an argument against whether the earth is unaturally heating.

Incidents like these occur constantly...even though this reef has never been touched, others have even before industrialization. The current weather cycle is the catalyst with these increased water temps. The same patterns that are causing catastrophic hurricanes in the gulf and carib are the culprit here. Does global warming amplify the effect??? IMO yes, however, science has yet to fully substantiate this theory.

There are other factors outside of global warming which are contributring to the proliferation and acceleration of reef degradation. It will be a culmination of all of these factors that lead to the decimation of the majority of the world's reefs. Not just global warming...