WEEK 8 TASK 1


Article: url

https://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/great-barrier-reef-hit-third-major-bleaching-event-five-years-n1166676

Article title: Great Barrier Reef hit by third major bleaching event in five years.

By guessing the content: By the name, i believe the article would be discussing about the environmental damage to the great barrier reef. The article will tell us that the frequency of bleaching of the coral reef has increased to almost three times in five years because of the biodiversity caused by environmental changes.

Skimming of the article: The main idea of the article is because of the rapid climate change the temperature of the water fluctuates. Some time there is a rapid rise in temperature and sometimes it falls. Due to this the bleaching effect takes place and  the colour of the corals get affected. Corals become white and their longevity of life is minimized.

Notes of the main point:  The Great Barrier Reef is experiencing most widespread coral bleaching event. Facing unmatched period of heat stress in third major bleaching event in past five years. Climate change cause destructive frequent events and coral does not have enough time to recover.

Last major bleaching event occurred in 2017.
The most  five recorded bleaching events are, the first in 1998, second one in 2002, then after 14 years, next one in 2016 and the last but not the least back to back events occurred in following year.

The gap is shrinking. Fastest growing corals event take a decade for recovery and the slowest one take several decades.

Coral bleaching occurs due to abnormal condition of ocean temperature. These environmental stress causes coral to become ghostly white due to expel of tiny photosynthetic algae.

Diseases occur to the Reef because of this bleaching process.
In 2016, 27% of corals died and in following year 22% were lost, for this nearly half the reef coral's died in two years.

Satellite observation showed that this year's coral bleaching spread far more across the reef compared to 2016 and 2017.

In 2002 and 2016 bleaching event caused by El Nino and this affected equatorial pacific.
El Nino is not directly triggering the current bleaching event but because the summers are getting hotter and hotter due to global warming.

The Reef designated as World's Heritage Site and valued $ 50 billion. The 1500 mile long Reef is home for diverse amount of marine life. There is an impact on the region's fish , turtles, mollusks and sea critter due to this bleaching event.

Mix species are changing because of this rapid disturbances and also changing the bio-diversity of whole ecosystem.

Summary:  The Great Barrier Reef has been affected by the most devastating bleaching event because of the frequent temperature changes of the ocean. In the last five years this event has occurred three times. In the past this is happening because of the natural El Nino event but the recent bleaching events are because of the climate change due to global warming. This is affecting the corals the most as well as other marine species resulting in a massive change in the bio-diversity of the entire ecosystem.

Personal reflection: In my opinion the bio-diversity of whole ecosystem are changing so rapidly due to global warming, there is a severe impact in the ocean's temperature. As there is a rapid up and down in the temperature, hence the ocean's ecosystem get affected. This causing harm to the various species in the ocean and mostly corals are getting affected. The coral's colour changes due to this rapid fluctuation of temperature and the corals become ghostly white. The frequency of this bleaching event has gone up in the recent years and this also affecting in a more widespread region.

Great Barrier Reef hit by third majo r bleaching event in five yearsG of 

Great Barrier Reef hit by third major bleaching event in five years

Great Barrier Reef hit by third major bleaching event in five years

Great Barrier Reef hit by third major bleaching event in five years

Great Barrier Reef hit by third major bleaching event in five years