Global warming and its effect on coral reefs

[menglish]

I know there are many out there who doubt global warming exist much less what it is doing to the coral reefs and subsequently to this hobby that we all love so much.
Its real folks!!!!
And it is devastating the reefs world wide.
Here are two scientific papers in highly respected scientific journals documenting this.

I do understand that the reading is very technical, but I think some of my fellow science nerds will appreciate it.
What can we do? Start my reducing your carbon foot print when ever possible

 

[JaimeAdams]

Thanks for sharing.

 

[beaslbob]

Geee

Reefs have come on gone throughout the ages. LOL

 

[sghera64]

Well, that was sobering :-(

Based on how I interpreted the articles, our reefs are doomed. I believe the data. I believe the analysis. Perhaps the authors' projections are wrong. Maybe the earth, in one of its mysterious ways, has some sort of compensating mechanism we've simply not triggered yet and we get a reset; a do-over; a mulligan.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Besides warming , pollution is a HUGE factor.

This is just one.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wa...-mother-there-wont-be-any-future-if-she-dies/

 

[hatfielj]

I know there are many out there who doubt global warming exist much less what it is doing to the coral reefs and subsequently to this hobby that we all love so much.
Its real folks!!!!
And it is devastating the reefs world wide.
Here are two scientific papers in highly respected scientific journals documenting this.

I do understand that the reading is very technical, but I think some of my fellow science nerds will appreciate it.
What can we do? Start my reducing your carbon foot print when ever possible

Yes scary stuff. I believe it's possible to turn things around if we maintain a positive message when talking about climate change. It's possible to reverse the damage if we all work together and find smart solutions. Sustainable energy is the key IMO. Abandoning coal and other fossil fuels for those that don't pollute and use sustainable sources of energy...Solar, wind, geothermal are all key. If you were to cover just 10% of the state of Arizona with solar panels it would provide enough energy to supply the entire country. The sun delivers enough energy each hour to supply the entire world with power for an entire year! So, 100% sustainable energy solutions are very possible and already at our finger tips. We just have to defeat the big money interests who are feeding us lies about coal and oil. If there's a will, there's a way. Another important thing to consider is how we eat. This is a pill that's hard to swallow for most, but our addiction to meat is incredibly damaging as well, specifically beef. Not saying we need to be 100% vegan, but we can't continue to eat the way we do now. Then there's the issue of plastics and the floating garbage pile the size of texas floating around in the pacific ocean. Fish, birds, and even corals are being poisoned by ingesting the micro plastics. There is also new evidence in humans that show we're ingesting micro plastics as well and that they might be playing a role in our diseases and cancers.
We have a lot of work to do, but I'm still convinced that we can do something about it before it's too late.

 

[topjimmy]

I know there are many out there who doubt global warming exist much less what it is doing to the coral reefs and subsequently to this hobby that we all love so much.
Its real folks!!!!
And it is devastating the reefs world wide.
Here are two scientific papers in highly respected scientific journals documenting this.

I do understand that the reading is very technical, but I think some of my fellow science nerds will appreciate it.
What can we do? Start my reducing your carbon foot print when ever possible

Very few people deny that the Earth is warming, and has been for well over 10,000 years.

Pollution and out right destruction of reefs should be a concern certainly. The climate is going to do what it has always done, fluctuate.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I do not want this thread devolve into a fight about CO2 and climate change.

So for anyone contemplating posting here, if that is your goal, move along to the lounge.

 

[sghera64]

So, to Randy's point, I'd like to ask a question relevant to both captive reefing and the OP.

Has anyone experienced prolonged elevated temperatures in their tanks? Say more than 4Cweeks as mentioned in the article.

That could be elevated temperature of 3C for a couple of really hot summer months (while waiting for that chiller to be delivered), or something else. I'm just wondering if the oceanic coral are more or less vulnerable than those in our captive systems.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I have not experienced long elevated temps. I kept mine below 82 F nearly all the time.

 

[sghera64]

I'm curious about how temperature affects our corals. The articles talk in terms of temperature differences and not absolute temperatures. I presume these are elevations above each locale's normal. What are the typical normal temperatures on these reefs between 5 and 30 feet of depth. I've made dives on reefs with temperatures of 84F and some at 78F. Corals were different each time, but all seems pretty healthy.

Is problem being caused by a sudden and prolonged elevation in temperature (say from 78 to 82F) or from simply reaching an unsustainable temperature (e.g. 86F)?

As it relates to the hobby, I wonder if there is something we've learned/seen with our close watch on captive systems in combination with all the errors we've made and recovered from that might offer reef sustainability ideas.

I did happen to find your post on temperature from December, 2017 [LINK]

 

[menglish]

As a scientist, I think what will happen to the corals as the temp continue to rise is that we will continue to have massive die off but this selective pressure will select for corals that are best able to adapt to the increase temp. We will loose diversity. Also you will soon find corals growing in places where they did not in the past, places were the water was too cold. Now those places will be warmer for corals to grow

 

[beaslbob]

I do not want this thread devolve into a fight about CO2 and climate change.

So for anyone contemplating posting here, if that is your goal, move along to the lounge.

Actually I was think this thread should have been in the lounge to begin with. LOL