Australian scientists have produced a coral that is heat resistant. By extracting microalgae from coral polys and then exposing it to increasing temperatures over a period of four years, the team has manager to accelerate the evolutionary response. Once the microalgae was reintroduced into coral larvae, it was found that coarse were more heat resistant.
Adobe and Pantone, in partnership with coral conservation organizations, have announced their “Glowing, Glowing, Gone” campaign that highlighting the effects of rising sea temperatures on coral reefs by using colors. Prior to bleaching corals exhibit a stressed fluorescence color palette that the Adobe and Pantone team have exactly captured to illustrate the issue.
bioGraphic has posted an excellent infographic called “Inside Coral Bleaching”. The graphic was rendered from a 3D model that consisted of over 20,000 images captured primarily by scientists from the 100 Islands Challenge Team. The photogrammmetry was created using Agisoft Photoscan, Blender and Cycles with animations of fish and the coral polyps expelling their zooxanthellae algae added in post.
Japan’s largest coral reef is dying due to rising sea temperatures. Over 90 percent of corals on Japan’s Sekiseishoko reef in the Ryukyu Islands, near Okinawa, have some bleaching and 70 percent of the corals have died overall. The reef was surveyed in November and December by Japan’s Environment ministry. The bleaching is the worst in the recorded history of the reef and is due to rising sea temperatures.
A study by the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies states that 67% of corals in a 700km wide stretch of the northern Great Barrier Reef have succumbed to bleaching. However, the central and southern regions only experienced 6% and 1% damage respectively.
Exposure Labs, the team behind the film Chasing Ice, is working on a new film documenting coral bleaching around the world. We posted their need for underwater photographers back in April, but they are still looking for more diving underwater photographers throughout the world.
Exposure Labs makers of the documentary “Chasing Ice”, are seeking underwater photographers to contribute imagery towards an attempt to document the worldwide effects of coral bleaching. Each volunteer will need to be available and in a suitable location for at least 3 days between now and 31 May. (Image from Shutterstock).
Thai PBS reports that 32 dive sites in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea have been closed to divers “to allow officials to check the sea temperatures for fear that sea warming may lead to coral bleaching”. Temperatures of 29.2°C (84.56°F) and 31°C (86°F) have been recorded at depths of 1.3m (4ft), which is significantly higher than normal. (Image from Shutterstock.
Two scientists are looking at ways to save the worlds coral reefs, but in a very controversial way, by speeding up evolution. The two scientists, Ruth Gates and Madeleine van Oppen of the Australian Institute of Marine Sciences, have decided to focus on the corals that do not eject their zooxanthellae during a bleaching event in an effort to make the reefs more resilient to rising sea temperatures.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has declared that the third global coral bleaching episode is now underway. The event began in the north Pacific in 2014, is expected to expose 95% of corals in the U.S.A. to bleaching conditions by the ned of 2015, with a similar effect on reefs globally. (Image from [Shutterstock)(http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-208937023/stock-photo-shallow-corals-begin-to-bleach-in-eastern-indonesia-bleaching-is-usually-caused-by-sea-temperature.html?src=Lp66Amrj7pR7pKIIAnQnZg-1-3))