Pressure on Great Barrier Reef for future Coral Spawning
The repeated coral bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef has not only damaged corals, but has also reduced the reef’s ability to recover and reproduce.
According to new research, the birth rate of baby corals has fallen by nearly 90% in 2018, due to the ramifications of coral bleaching in 2016-17.
Most corals reproduce by “spawning”, which is essential to reef recovery. In fact, larvae produced by spawning may settle on other neighbouring reefs to effectively replace damaged corals.
However, the way that coral re-spawns is changing rapidly due to climate change. A combination of this along with the devastating effects of coral bleaching is severely weakening the reef and prevents new coral recruitment.
The question remains: how can we improve the reef’s resilience?
Joining us to answer this question is Professor Morgan Pratchett from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies.
To take a deep dive into the research check out this link here.
