Scientists have discovered a pristine, 3km (1.8-mile) reef of giant rose-shaped corals off the coast of Tahiti in waters thought to be deep enough to protect it from the bleaching effects of the warming ocean.
Context
Scientists have discovered a pristine, 3km (1.8-mile) reef of giant rose-shaped corals off the coast of Tahiti in waters thought to be deep enough to protect it from the bleaching effects of the warming ocean.
The Reef
- The reef, which lies at depths of more than 30 metres (100 feet), probably took about 25 years to grow.
- Some of the rose-shaped corals measure more than two metres in diameter.
- Most of the world’s known coral reefs are in warmer waters at depths of up to 25 metres (82 feet).
- The reef off Tahiti lies in the “twilight zone” 30 to 120 metres (400 feet) below the surface where there is still enough light for coral to grow and reproduce.
Coral Bleaching
- Bleaching is a stress response by overheated corals during heat waves during which they lose their colour, with many struggling to survive.
- Perhaps the most famous – Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, a World Heritage-listed wonder – has suffered severe bleaching to an estimated 80 percent of its corals since 2016.
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