Rising Ocean Temperatures From Climate Change Threatens One-Third Of The World’s Coral Reefs From Bleaching, Says NOAA
As the world suffers from global warming and the ocean water temperature increases, researchers, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) warns that over one-third of the coral reefs in the world are at risk from bleaching, reported NBC News on Thursday.
The Christian Science Monitor noted on Friday that coral bleaching occurs when corals give off their colorful algae when experiencing stress.
"This is the third time we've had a global bleaching event," said coordinator at NOAA's Coral Reef Watch Mark Eakin.
"2015 has now seen coral bleaching occurring in reefs in the northern Pacific, Indian, equatorial Pacific, and western Atlantic Oceans," an alert said.
Among the reefs in the world that are in danger of coral bleaching, those around Haiti, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands are said to be affected the most, with approximately 95 percent of the U.S. corals experiencing conditions that will enhance bleaching by the end of this year.
Eakin was especially worried about the coral reef in Hawaii that has already suffered severe coral bleaching in 2014, noted Star Advertiser on Friday.
"Hawaii is getting hit with the worst coral bleaching they have ever seen, right now," said Eakin. "It's severe. It's extensive. And it's on all the islands."
NOAA announced that this will be the third global coral bleaching event to ever be recorded following the 1998 and 2010 events.
"The coral bleaching and disease, brought on by climate change and coupled with events like the current El Niño, are the largest and most pervasive threats to coral reefs around the world," Eakin explained. "What really has us concerned is this event has been going on for more than a year and our preliminary model projections indicate it's likely to last well into 2016."
The world's coral reefs account for only one-tenth of one percent of the ocean floor in terms of are, but are home to 25 percent of the fish species worldwide.
"You kill coral, you destroy reefs, you don't have a place for the fish to live," noted Eakin.
