New research has shown that coral disease has increased threefold over the last 25 years in response to climate change.
Scientists also believe that three-quarters of the world’s reefs will be infected by the next century.
The study published in the journal Ecology Letters has shown the devastating impact climate change has on the health of the world’s coral reefs. Not only that, the research shows that if it remains unchecked, climate change is a clear and present danger to the survival of the planet’s reef ecosystems.
According to Sydney Samantha Burke, the study’s lead author and Ph.D. candidate at the School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences at UNSW:
“They are the habitat builders. Without coral, there is no reef environment and no coastal industry. As ocean temperatures rise, coral stress intensifies, leading to a diminished immune response.”
You can find the original research here.
