The cause of this phenomenon is believed to be global warming, due to which the reefs become stressed and remove the algae living in their tissues.
More than fifty countries in both hemispheres have recorded massive bleaching of coral reefs since the beginning of 2023. Researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) revealed this in a statement on Monday, April 15.
Scientists explain that coral bleaching occurs when corals become stressed due to changes in conditions – temperature, light or nutrients – and eliminate the algae that live in their tissues. This causes the corals to become completely white.
These include reefs in Florida, the Caribbean, the eastern tropical Pacific such as Costa Rica and Panama, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, parts of the South Pacific, the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Aden, the researchers said.
This is the second coral bleaching event on the planet in the last 10 years, the last event in May 2017. According to the Associated Press, it is caused by the El Niño climate model, which leads to warming of the world’s oceans in three year.
The researchers noted that for a global bleaching to be declared, it would need to be confirmed in every major ocean basin. These basins include the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
Coral reefs are important ecosystems for underwater life and help protect biodiversity and slow erosion. They are also tourist attractions in some areas, helping to support local economies and food security.
The researchers note that coral bleaching does not always precede the death of reefs, but sounds the alarm about the ongoing effects of climate change on ecosystems.
2023 will be the hottest year on record, with average land and ocean temperatures reaching 2.12 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 16.6 Celsius), 2.12 degrees above the 20th century average, NOAA researchers reported.
It was previously reported that Antarctica was hit by a record warm wave. Researchers believe that this event is a sign of what awaits the planet in the future.
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Source: korrespondent
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.