<
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/07/12/us/florida-ocean-heat-coral-bleaching-climate/>
"A sudden marine heat wave off the coast of Florida has surprised scientists
and sent water temperatures soaring to unprecedented highs, threatening one of
the most severe coral bleaching events the state has ever seen.
Sea surface temperatures around Florida have reached the highest levels on
record since satellites began collecting ocean data. And the warming is
happening much earlier than normal – yet another example of ocean heat being
amplified by the human-caused climate crisis and the extreme weather it brings.
“We didn’t expect this heating to happen so early in the year and to be so
extreme,” Derek Manzello, a coordinator at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration’s Coral Reef Watch, told CNN. “This appears to be unprecedented
in our records.”
The exceptional temperatures – close to 97 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas –
are more than just another alarming climate record; extreme ocean heat and its
duration are critical in deciding the survival of coral reefs. Temperatures
that are too hot for too long cause coral to bleach, turning a ghastly white as
they expel their algal food source and slowly starve to death."
Via Doug Senko.
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
