Self Healers

  Coral reefs throughout the years have been damaged due to warming of ocean temperatures.  In earlier thinking coral reefs that had become damaged were thought to only be able to heal themselves through new recruits from other close reefs, but new research, published in the journal Science, an isolated reef off the coast of Australia that was damaged back in 1998 has once again become healthy in a short time with help of good water quality and low human impact.

     In 1998 a four degree rise in water temperature persisted for a few weeks which lead to the bleaching out of corals within the area.  During this time seventy to ninety percent of the corals within the reef were killed.  After about six years the surviving corals within the isolated area began to reproduce, after becoming mature,  and created new colonies.

Source: Isolated Coral Reefs Can Heal Themselves


Main, Douglas. " Isolated Coral Reefs Can Heal Themselves | Coral Bleaching | OurAmazingPlanet.com ." Home | OurAmazingPlanet.com . N.p., 4 Apr. 2013. Web. 30 Apr. 2013. <http://www.ouramazingplanet.com/4328-coral-reefs-can-regenerate.html>.

Coral Reefs

      J.E.N. Veron is a coral specialist who wrote the book A Reef in Time: The Great Barrier  Reef fro Begining to End.  He writes about the geological history of the reefs, the biology of them and some of what we know about climate change.  He also discusses how bleaching and ocean acidification will eventually lead to the total destruction of coral reefs unless greenhouse gas emissions are harnessed.
      The book is currently on sale at Amazon where you can also read a description on the book as well as look 'inside' as well as Barnes & Noble.