Tag: "Great Barrier Reef"

Great Barrier Reef, satellite image, courtesy of NASA by MISR

First Step Toward Protecting Australia’s Great Barrier Reef

Last Thursday the Queensland Parliament passed the Great Barrier Reef Protection Amendment Bill. The new law targets reducing the run-off of nutrients, pesticides and sediment from farming land onto the Great Barrier Reef.

Damselfish in coral scene - NOAA's Coral Kingdom Collection, Photographer: David Burdick

A Different Kind of Global Warming Threat for Marine Life

Marine life is suffering the consequences of global warming in many different ways. Not only is it threatened by the changing environment, loss of habitat, species migration as a response to the changing habitat, but it seems warmer waters also changes some fishes behavior, making them easy prey.

Great Barrier Reef, satellite image courtesy of NASA

Great Barrier Reef: One of the Seven Wonders of Nature?

The Great Barrier Reef is among the finalists for the title of “New 7 Wonders of Nature” as per last weeks announcement in Zurich.

Turtle Hatchlings Under Serious Stress

Turtle Hatchlings Under Serious Stress

For the sake of curiosity, David Booth, from the University of Queensland, Australia, decided to measure the rate of oxygen consumption in newly hatched turtles as they swim to safety. Hatchlings on the Great Barrier Reef’s coral cays are in a high risk zone. The dash from the nesting area to the water is filled [...]

Bleached Coral

Severe Coral Bleaching Predicted in Coral Sea

A devastating coral bleaching episode is predicted to occur in the Coral Sea between now and February.  If the bleaching has the effects that NOAA is predicting, marine life in the surrounding areas will be severely damaged. Reports from NOAA say that the bleaching will occur in parts of the Coral Sea, adjacent to Australia’s [...]