Mass coral bleaching now affecting half of Australia's Great Barrier Reef

originally posted by: onequestion
a reply to: OneGoal

Don't the phytoplankton eat up the c02 to produce our oxygen rich environment?

Where can I read about c02 being absorbed by the ocean?

Here's some info:


www.pmel.noaa.gov...

Ocean acidification is the ongoing decrease in the pH of the Earth's oceans, caused by the uptake of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. An estimated 30–40% of the carbon dioxide from human activity released into the atmosphere dissolves into oceans, rivers and lakes.

ocean.nationalgeographic.com...

ocean.si.edu...


Regarding phytoplankton uptake, they mention mass die offs as a possibility:

news.mit.edu...


Maybe people will care more.

a reply to: OneGoal

Much appreciated.

I'm not fast to believe anythinf .

originally posted by: OneGoal

originally posted by: onequestion
a reply to: OneGoal

Don't the phytoplankton eat up the c02 to produce our oxygen rich environment?

Where can I read about c02 being absorbed by the ocean?

Here's some info:


www.pmel.noaa.gov...

Ocean acidification is the ongoing decrease in the pH of the Earth's oceans, caused by the uptake of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. An estimated 30–40% of the carbon dioxide from human activity released into the atmosphere dissolves into oceans, rivers and lakes.

ocean.nationalgeographic.com...

ocean.si.edu...

So has just the ocean been experiencing acidification or are we seeing equal ratios in fresh water spurce?

originally posted by: onequestion

originally posted by: OneGoal

originally posted by: onequestion
a reply to: OneGoal

Don't the phytoplankton eat up the c02 to produce our oxygen rich environment?

Where can I read about c02 being absorbed by the ocean?

Here's some info:


www.pmel.noaa.gov...

Ocean acidification is the ongoing decrease in the pH of the Earth's oceans, caused by the uptake of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. An estimated 30–40% of the carbon dioxide from human activity released into the atmosphere dissolves into oceans, rivers and lakes.

ocean.nationalgeographic.com...

ocean.si.edu...

So has just the ocean been experiencing acidification or are we seeing equal ratios in fresh water spurce?

Great question. I'd imagine an increase in co2 for both fresh water and salt water sources in terms of pH drop.


After further research it does appear freshwater species are being impacted by higher CO2 levels. This study shows how pink salmon had a host of issues with higher freshwater co2 readings. One major difference is the impact of acid rain on freshwater ecosystems, which will acidify the freshwater significsntly more than ocean ecosystems due to concentration.

www.sciencemag.org...

originally posted by: onequestion
a reply to: OneGoal

Much appreciated.

I'm not fast to believe anythinf .

A lot of us here have learned to be leary and cautious of information and believing said info, and rightfully so.

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

I was fortunate to spend a week cruising the Whitsundays many years ago, it was spectacular !

At the time there was coral bleaching happening,
which was causing much concern. If the water temp. Returns to its ideal state reasonably quickly - the coral colonies can survive.

Once the coral dies it is gone. Along with important eco-systems causing a flow on effect.

Run off can have an effect as well so it is important to have proper farming practices in place as well.

As I mentioned, this was a problem some years ago and it has survived, albeit with some areas now just a white calcufied mess.

The crown of thorns starfish is/was also a big threat to the reef.

Honestly, I have been hearing about the doom and gloom and the imminent death of the Reef for a long time. In fact, since the early seventies.

The reef is still there.

As some parts die off, other parts grow.

It is affected by many things and it will either continue to live ...

or it won't!

Species die off all the time. 99.9% of all life that has lived on our planet is now extinct.

What we have here is a natural process, perhaps and likely to be hurried along by man.

We are not the problem or the solution, we are an integral part of the eco-system, a major part, but a part only.

P

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

Nearly all Australians knew this would eventually happen, about 30 years ago. Development in the reef along with a few other factors such as pollution of the water, only ever made it a matter of time.

originally posted by: onequestion
Can we tug some icebergs down there?

Na mate, it;ll make the water a bit chilly for the divers.

a reply to: Azureblue

It will mess with our sharks and irukandji and stuff ...

We don't like terr umm tourists that much ...

😎😥😒✌

A facet of the bleaching problem is the slow growth of coral in general. It's true that there have been many coral heads that have experienced bleaching and recovered. Part of what helps that recovery is the coral skeleton left behind. Sort of a starter-kit.

Lot of evidence to suggest some areas have experienced coral death or partial extinction that may or may not ever fully recover.

Some folks tend to think of coral as pretty underwater rocks. They are a community and colonies of animals -- polyps -- which are both the protection for and the foundation of sea life. Imagine loosing a significant amount of forests suddenly. Coral death is akin to that.

I don't know how many of you have ever seen a coral spawning. It's amazing, like a underwater snowstorm. Everything eats=everything lives. The bleaching is like slowly starving a reef to death.

Coral Spawning:

originally posted by: Metallicus
a reply to: Kandinsky

If the reef fails then that IS natural selection. Animals that can't adapt are always dying off. It will probably be humans one day.

All things in their time and all things in their season.

We may be just seeing the Earth's immune system at work.

Our bodies develop fevers to create a hostile environment to combat organisms that cause our bodies harm or disease. Our bodies have healing properties that create cysts and scars. Our bodies eliminate, sometimes with great force, toxins that make us weak, or can be deadly. Sometimes it has to destroy the good with the bad.

I don't think we should take it personal. When it happens, it just may be our time and our season.