- Coral bleaching caused by global warming could devastate
swaths of Australia's Great Barrier Reef within 50 years, according to
a report.
-
- The study, commissioned by the Queensland government,
found that bleaching could be an annual occurrence by 2050.
-
- Coral bleaching happens when high water temperatures
kill off the algae which live alongside coral polyps and give reefs their
vibrant colours. At first the only serious damage is to the reef's appearance,
but serious bleaching can destroy coral altogether.
-
- Scientists classify the event as catastrophic if high
temperatures occur for more than 100 days in a year. Such reefs do not
regain their appearance for 10 years, and can take 50 years to recover
their ecological diversity.
-
- Annual bleaching catastrophes would be expected if sea
temperatures were to go up 4.5C (8.1F) by 2050.
-
- Queensland's premier, Peter Beattie, said: "Increasing
global greenhouse production could lead to more extensive coral deaths...
and put at risk industries such as tourism."
-
- Average year-round temperatures on the reef have risen
by 0.5C since 1870.
-
- Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited
2003
-
- http://www.guardian.co.uk/climatechange/story/0,12374,1016745,00.html
|
