Great Barrier Reef coral in crisis

Global Warming, more acidic oceans cited; 'pretty scary' findings, one expert says
By Miguel Llanos

The rate at which corals absorb calcium from seawater to calcify their hard skeletons — and thus grow — has declined dramatically in the last two decades and signs point to manmade greenhouse gas emissions as the culprit, according to a study of samples from Australia's Great Barrier Reef.
Researchers with the Australian Institute of Marine Science looked at the skeletal records of porites corals collected over the years at 69 reefs along the 1,600-mile-long Great Barrier Reef. Those corals, some 400 years old, showed that calcification declined by 13 percent between 1990 and 2005.
"The data suggest that such a severe and sudden decline in calcification is unprecedented in at least the past 400 years," the researchers stated in the study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Science.
A reef expert not involved in the study described it as "very important." In a commentary posted on newsvine.com for msnbc.com, John Bruno added that "the findings are frankly pretty scary."
"Slower growth might not seem like a big problem, but reef scientists are concerned that this will exacerbate the impacts of other threats to coral reefs," said Bruno, an associate professor of marine ecology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. "For example, it will slow the vertical growth of corals, making it harder for them to keep up with rising sea levels.
"It could also slow recovery from other disturbances such as coral bleaching episodes and destructive storms," Bruno added. Bleaching occurs when corals expel the organisms living inside that create the colors found on reefs.
The study's authors themselves wrote that "precipitous changes in the biodiversity and productivity of the world's oceans may be imminent" given how central coral reefs are to marine ecosystems.
Changes tracked via skeletal ringsThe researchers sampled porites coral, which can grow over centuries into massive boulders. Porites also lay down annual growth rings, making it possible to compare specific years to water temperature records and other data.
Several potential causes were ruled out by the researchers, among them sewage and other runoff since many samples were originally far from the coast. Disease was also ruled out because the samples were all from corals that had been healthy.
That, they wrote, left "two most likely" factors, both tied to carbon dioxide emissions: warming sea temperatures and more acidic oceans as CO2 raises the pH levels of the seas.
The researchers noted that their findings confirm lab experiments and computer models predicting negative impacts of rising carbon dioxide on corals.
"If temperature and carbonate saturation are responsible for the observed changes, then similar changes are likely to be detected in the growth records from other regions and from other calcifying organisms," they warned.
How fast can coral adapt?Bruno noted that "we will almost certainly see this problem grow over the next few centuries" due to greenhouse gas emissions. "The only questions are by how much, how quickly corals can acclimate to climate change and what the broader impacts will be."
Bleaching has also been tied to warming waters, and adds to the pressure on corals. The Great Barrier Reef saw severe bleaching in 1998 and 2002 — the two hottest summers on record there — and officials warned that the northern end of the reef could see severe bleaching again over the next few months during the Southern Hemisphere's summer.
Bruno warned that while corals are not widely visible their role is critical. "Corals create the physical structure that thousands of other species depend on," he said. "They play a role analogous to trees that create forests. When corals die, so do the fish and invertebrate animals that live on reefs."
© 2008 msnbc.com Reprints

The Great Barrier Reef and Dwarf Minke Whales

4th of July 2008 It is only 1900 and above their is already a star speckled dark Australian night. Their are no city lights to wash out the stars this far north in Australia. We are about 130 miles north of the closest real city.

The fireworks would be starting about right now if I where back in the States. Technically not, as it's only 3 July in the USA right now. Over the past five years I have been treated to some amazing front row-on the water fireworks vantage points. I love fireworks... I hope that I never get to a point that I don't get totally jazzed up about a good fireworks display. I miss them tonight.

Their is plenty to keep me busy tonight on the 4th of July as I navigate through a narrow section of the shipping lane that runs inside the Great Barrier Reef. With the stark darkness outside, I rely totally on the MaxSea chart platter and the Furuno radar to guide us through the tight pass. On one side of the pass is Mt. Thomas - a large mountain jutting up from the waters edge, and one half mile across from that is the hungry Gibbon Reef, lurking there static, ready to snare a lazy navigator.

Their is fishing vessel off the starboard side in the pass, I grab the binoculars, step out side the protection of the pilot house to have a better look. I'm immediately hit by a blast of the Coral Sea's stinging salt spray. Since we left Lizard Island we have been laboring through 30 knot apparent winds and 1.5 meter stubborn seas - on the nose. I am reminded how spoiled we have been with our circumnavigation route that is routed and planned with the worldwide seasonal wind patterns (trade winds) working in our favor. Pushing us downwind to our next destination rather than clawing upwind against them.

We are heading back to Cairns after an amazing 5 days out on the Great Barrier Reef. We are going backwards to clear customs out of Australia bound for Papua New Guinea. I dropped the owner of the yacht off on the private postcard idyllic beach at the Lizard Island resort this morning by tender. Zipping across the various shades of blues and coral patches to the beach the private plane we have chartered for him flies in for a landing, every thing for the owner and guests are synchronized like a fine Swiss Watch. I mention to the owner "you know your in an amazing place when you step off your tender in to ankle deep sand with the sound of your private plane waiting on a run way only a 5 minute barefoot walk through a grove of palm trees". He smiles widely acknowledging a great trip so far. That genuinely sincere smile is one of the acknowledgements and rewards of the hard work that goes into it all.

During this GBR trip we where the first private yacht to be granted the use of a Minke Whale Permit. In order to do this we took on a live aboard guide, agreed to follow strict whale interaction protocol, and participate in the on going research data collection.

Dwarf Minke whales where first recognized as a distinct form of whale in the mid 1980's and there is still little known about them. They attracted attention in the northern Great Barrier Reef waters because they regularly approached close to boats and swimmers. While many countries have banned programs where visitors can swim with whales, a swim with whales industry has developed here in the northern GBR based on voluntary approaches of the Dwarf Minke Whales. To ensure the encounters have minimal impact on the whales, research is being focused on learning more about the whales interactions with swimmers. The goal of all the research is to manage the interaction between the dwarf Minke whale and humans so that it is ecologically sustainable.

To put it simply this swim with the whales program is all about the Dwarf Minke Whales interacting with humans on their terms, at their pace and at their choice. Quite opposite from other whale watching/swimming programs where you have several boats aggressively looking for whales speeding over to their location, hovering over them, ambushing them with a bunch of swimmers jumping in the water....

We arrive at Light House Bommie, a very large coral head located near Ribbon Reef #10. Its important to say as well by securing the permit and taking part in the research every spot we went to we had to our selves. This privacy in such an amazing place is hard to put into words- you really forget for while that their is a whole other world on the other side of the reef. This is a spot that the Minke come back to each year. As we arrive to the mooring, dead on the waypoint bullseye. it is magical, immediately several large Minke are surfacing around the boat. Their is no doubt that they are calling us out to play.

We start off by trailing a 30 meter polypropylene line that has about 7 bicycle inner tubes tied into it and equally spaced. Trailing behind the boat, the plastic line floats on the surface we don our wet suits, masks, snorkels and fins and then one by one gently enter the water and take up our position on the line. Within minutes we had company. The first Minke starts down the line coasting one meter from each persons face, making direct eye to eye contact. As you are looking ahead at one passing whale, another surprises you - a 20 footer, 3 ton whales coasts right under neath you, you do your best to keep your fins up so they do not graze him. You are speechless, in awe, stricken with admiration and the realization that you are having a completely natural encounter with several whales.

At first its a "wholly shit" reaction, a reaction of disbelief that something so big, from a world relatively unknown is coming so close to you. Then the emotions shift to a more powerful deeper experience... as you study them you see their grace, their curiosity, their complete trust in you, you feel a connection as you look eye to eye... The most powerful emotional experiences that I have ever had where the birth of my two children and the death of my father, this day is now in at number four.

When you are out at the Great Barrier you literally are "out there". Over a hundred miles from any real civilization. The trade winds blow a steady 20 25 knots from the South East. The seas outside the reef are running about two meters. You anchor or moor behind the reef for some resemblance of protection but that is diurnal at best. When high tide arrives the reef is awash and you are much more exposed. We had our share of dragging anchors and broken mooring lines, enough to make for very little sleep and 24 hour anchor watches.

PS - It's 0630 8 July. I am finishing this GBR journal anchored in Alotau Papua New Guinea. Arriving here after a 500 mile 10 knot beam reach across the Coral Sea. Its a little surreal as I sit outside typing on my Sony Vaio Laptop computer drinking nice bold coffee from my ceramic Starbucks Mug, listening to Jack Johnson's - "Thicker than Water" CD. I am surrounded by about 35 local handline fisherman in dug out log canoes, wild dogs going crazy barking to the left, three little barn swallow birds are sitting on the running back stay line chirping away, the odd rooster that's waking up late is carrying on, the lingering smell of cooking (and rubbish) fires all against the stunning back drop of the lush rain forest mountain peaks.

Click on the Great Barrier Reef Image to the left to see a slide show.