A species of resilient Hawaiian corals, which can survive in waters that are warm and acidic, infer that the dying coral reefs from all over the world have a chance to recover.
A new study claims that these corals would prevent the bleak scenario of a world without corals, which were profoundly affected in recent years by global warming. The increased temperatures triggered bleaching among many coral reefs, including the Great Reef Barrier found in Australia. Researchers believe that the context will be grimmer in the following decades, but it is not too late to make some changes which could mitigate the damage in the long run. The key is to act within a reasonable timeframe.
Resilient Hawaiian Corals Might Save The World’s Coral Reefs
It is well known that while coral reefs are present on less than 1% of the ocean bed, they offer a reliable habituated form more than 30% of all the marine species. As time passed, the water became warmer and more acidic, while other stress factors, including pollution and over-fishing, contribute to the degeneration of the reefs.
In 2018 the UN panel on climate released warming, noting that an increase of just 1.5 Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) could lead to the disappearance of up to 90% of the reefs across all over the world. The researchers studied coral reefs located in the Hawaiian Kane’ohe Bay, which were ruined between the 1930s and 1970s due to a variety of factors, including dredging, urbanization, and pollution. During the last years of the 1970s, the sewage was diverted, and a shy recovery process began.
The results of this process were quite surprising since it took place even if the waters of the bay were warmer and more acidic than they used to be in the past. It is thought that the removal of sewage pollution played a significant role in helping the reefs regenerate. The resilient Hawaiian corals also feature a natural resistance to dangerous conditions. The study was published in a scientific journal.
Tiesha loves to share her passion for everything that’s beautiful in this world. Apart from writing on her beauty blog and running her own beauty channel on Youtube, she also enjoys traveling and photography. Tiesha covers various stories on the website.