21% Drop In Rate Of Coral-Building "Unprecedented In Recent Centuries" - Barrier Reef Expert

[hatrack]

A slowing in the growth of an important reef-building coral in the Great Barrier Reef may point to a disastrous phenomenon that will one day affect all sea creatures, a new report says.

The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) study examined two regions at the northern end of the reef and found a 21 per cent decline in the rate at which Porites corals, also known as finger corals, had grown in the past 16 years.

"A decline in coral calcification of this magnitude with increasing seawater temperatures is unprecedented in recent centuries," said the report, published in the Global Change Biology journal.

It suggested the results may be an early sign that the corals, as well as being subjected to warmer water, are being affected by ocean acidification - where climate change caused large quantities of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to dissolve into the ocean, causing it to become more acidic.

EDIT

http://news.theage.com.au/reef-coral-expert-fears-ocean-acidifying/20080305-1x30.html

[phantom power]

1. Uh oh.

[kestrel91316]

2. Dead corals don't do a very good job of building reefs, I have noticed.

[AlecBGreen]

3. huh?

"... climate change caused large quantities of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to dissolve into the ocean, causing it to become more acidic."

Its my understanding that all things being equal, warmer waters can hold less dissolved gas than cold water. So, as the planets & oceans warm, they ocean will be LESS able to sequester CO2.

What am I missing? :shrug:

[hatrack]

4. Ocean C uptake has decreased in recent years, IIRC

It's still absorbing, but at a lower rate.

[phantom power]

5. I would agree that's yet another bit of sloppy reporting.

CO2 emissions are being absorbed by the oceans, and that is causing the acidification. The equilibrium is being driven towards increasing concentration faster than warming is reducing the solubility.