Third Ever Global Coral Bleaching Event Declared

Bleaching intensifies in Hawaii, high ocean temperatures threaten Caribbean corals: NOAA

NOAA has declared the third global coral bleaching event ever known, as record high ocean temperatures cause widespread coral bleaching across Hawaii. The researchers also confirmed the same stressful conditions are now expanding to the Caribbean, said a report released today.

Waters are warming in the Caribbean, threatening coral in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, NOAA scientists said. Coral bleaching began in the Florida Keys and South Florida in August, but now scientists expect bleaching conditions there to diminish.

“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,” said NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch coordinator. “As a result, we are losing huge areas of coral across the U.S., as well as internationally. 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.”

“Last year’s bleaching at Lisianski Atoll was the worst our scientists have seen,” said NOAA’s deputy superintendent for the monument. “Almost one and a half square miles of reef bleached last year and are now completely dead.”

Exposure to stressful environmental conditions such as high temperatures causes coral bleaching.  Stress causes corals to reject the symbiotic algae living in their tissues, causing corals to turn white or pale, leaving the coral without a major source of food, and making it more susceptible to disease.

The first ever recorded global bleaching occurred in 1998, followed by a second event in 2010, said the report.

October 2015-January 2016: NOAA’s standard 4-month bleaching outlook shows a threat of bleaching continuing in the Caribbean, Hawaii and Kiribati, and potentially expanding into the Republic of the Marshall Islands. (Credit: NOAA)

Report posted at NOAA declares third ever global coral bleaching event

Pesticides Destroying the Great Barrier Reef

Agricultural pesticides found  about 60km inside the reef at toxic levels: Australian government report

Time and time again, Australian farmers have demonstrated that they are poor stewards of the land.

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Disaster Calendar 2011 – August 13 Entry

[August 13, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,677 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• The Great Barrier Reef, Australia. As if coral bleaching caused by climate change and pollution from tourism and transport industries weren’t enough, now a new report on water quality issued by the Australian government says that agricultural pesticides are causing significant damage to the World Heritage-listed natural wonder.
• Alabama, USA. Death toll from April 27 Tuscaloosa tornado has climbed to at least 50, a report said.
• Nebraska, USA.  A second disaster declaration has been issued for the state of Nebraska following  flooding from May 24 to August 1, reports said. [For details of Nebraska’s first disaster declaration see August 12 entry.]
• Colorado, USA. Agriculture Secretary has declared 3 counties in the state of Colorado as natural disaster areas. The freezing temperatures from April 26 through May 3, 2011 caused severe damage to crops, especially apples and stone fruit.  The three disaster areas are Delta, Mesa and Montrose counties. Additionally,  Garfield, Gunnison, Ouray, Pitkin and San Miguel counties as well as Grand and San Juan counties in Utah were declared disaster areas because they are contiguous.

Related Links

• Back-to-Back Disasters Could Hit Australia: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• 2011 Disaster Calendar – August
• 2010 Disaster Calendar 
• 2011 Disaster Calendar