Great Barrier Reef faces worst heat stress in 400 years
Rising water temperatures are putting corals under extreme stress, leading to mass bleaching and death.
A new study has found that the waters around the Great Barrier Reef have reached their warmest temperatures in 400 years. This is causing widespread coral bleaching, a process where corals expel the algae that live in their tissues and provide them with food and energy.
Bleaching can kill coral if it is prolonged, and the Great Barrier Reef is now facing a serious threat.
The study, published in the journal Nature Climate Change, found that the average water temperature around the reef has increased by 2 degrees Celsius since 1900. This is due to climate change, which is causing the oceans to warm at an unprecedented rate.
The study's authors say that the current heat stress is the worst they have seen in their careers. They warn that if water temperatures continue to rise, the Great Barrier Reef could be at risk of collapse.
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