Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 14 views

    Press Release 1

    Uploaded by

    AlexMuzzo
    The isolated Scott Reef system in Western Australia recovered from a 1998 bleaching event much faster than expected, with coral cover and diversity returning to pre-bleaching levels within 12 years. Its isolation, thought to be a disadvantage, may have benefited recovery by limiting human disturbances like fishing. Addressing over-fishing and pollution could help speed the recovery of damaged reefs near human settlements.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Press Release 1

    Uploaded by

    AlexMuzzo
    14 views1 page
    The isolated Scott Reef system in Western Australia recovered from a 1998 bleaching event much faster than expected, with coral cover and diversity returning to pre-bleaching levels within 12 years. Its isolation, thought to be a disadvantage, may have benefited recovery by limiting human disturbances like fishing. Addressing over-fishing and pollution could help speed the recovery of damaged reefs near human settlements.

    Original Description:

    Press release that I created for my Science and Nature writing course.

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    The isolated Scott Reef system in Western Australia recovered from a 1998 bleaching event much faster than expected, with coral cover and diversity returning to pre-bleaching levels within 12 years. Its isolation, thought to be a disadvantage, may have benefited recovery by limiting human disturbances like fishing. Addressing over-fishing and pollution could help speed the recovery of damaged reefs near human settlements.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    14 views1 page

    Press Release 1

    Uploaded by

    AlexMuzzo
    The isolated Scott Reef system in Western Australia recovered from a 1998 bleaching event much faster than expected, with coral cover and diversity returning to pre-bleaching levels within 12 years. Its isolation, thought to be a disadvantage, may have benefited recovery by limiting human disturbances like fishing. Addressing over-fishing and pollution could help speed the recovery of damaged reefs near human settlements.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 1

    Isolated Coral Reef Recovering Faster Than Expected

    Bleached coral reefs, which were once the colorful playground for a variety of unique
    marine life, show the stark and depressing consequence of a changing environment. But now
    researchers are studying how reefs recover from a bleaching event, and have found, perhaps,
    their most amazing characteristic the ability to bounce back.
    Studying the Scott Reef system in Western Australia, James P. Gilmour and his team of
    researchers have found that isolated reef systems recover from coral bleaching much faster than
    predicted. The reef system, which is 250km off the coast of Western Australia, presented
    researchers with a chance to study how long it takes for isolated reef systems to bounce back
    from bleaching.
    In 1998 the Scott Reef system suffered mass bleaching related to the rise of water
    temperature and damage from cyclones. In some places, the system suffered a loss of almost
    90% of its corals. Initially, the bleached systems failed to recruit settlement and the coral
    system, which is too far from any other coral source to propagate the damaged areas, was
    predicted to have a recovery time of decades. But within 12 years, coral cover, recruitment,
    generic diversity, and community structure were again similar to the prebleaching years the
    report states.
    The reef systems isolation, thought to be a disadvantage due to its distance from
    propagating sources, may actually be its strength. Gilmours team believes that the lack of heavy
    fishing pressure and other human-related disturbances quickens the recovery time of bleached
    coral. They conclude that addressing over-fishing and pollution will help the recovery of coral
    systems that are close to human settlements and revive the damaged reefs to the colorful exciting
    playground they once were.

    Contact: Alex Muzzo


    Email: [email protected]
    Phone: 708-821-4563

    You might also like