Rising temps threaten the Great Barrier Reef’s existence

Rising sea temperatures are causing increasing signs of stress and threatening the existence of one of the world’s most diverse and valuable marine ecosystems, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, according to a new study.

Coral reef expert Thomas DeCarlo, the assistant professor of oceanography at Tulane University School of Science and Engineering, analyzed historical temperature and bleaching patterns at the reef site using underwater drilling to collect coral core samples and CT scans to identify density variations and annual growth bands visible from when coral previously bleached and recovered.

DeCarlo’s work in Nature documents unprecedented levels of ocean heat leading to bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef, endangering a vital marine ecosystem. Here, he explains his work: