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clams and some sponges.

The Great Barrier Reef along the northeast coast of Australia suffered two mass coral bleaching events in the summers of 1998 and 2002, and also in the southern GBR in 2006. While most reef areas recovered with relatively low levels of coral death, some locations suffered severe damage, with up to 90% of corals killed.

"Greatest threat to GBR (i) rising sea temperatures, which are almost certain to increase the frequency and intensity of mass coral bleaching events (ii) ocean acidification, which is likely to reduce the calcifying ability of key organisms such as corals. GBR has experienced eight-mass bleaching event since 1979 ( 1980, 1982, 1992, 1994, 1998, 2002, and 2006 ) The most widespread and intense events occurred in the summers of 1998 and 2002, with about 42% and 54% of reefs affected, respectively (Done et al 2003) Berkelmans 2004). The effects from thermal stress are likely to be exacerbated under future scenarios by the gradual acidification of the world’s oceans."

Even under a moderate warming scenario (A1T, 20C by 2100, corals on the GBR are very likely to be exposed to regular summer temperature that exceed the thermal thresholds observed over the past 20 years.

Other coral reef provinces have been permanently damaged by warm sea temperatures, most severely in the Indian Ocean. Up to 90% of coral cover has been lost in the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Kenya and Tanzania and in the Seychelles.

Pathogen infection

Bioerosion (coral damage) such as this may be caused by coral bleaching.

In 1996, Kushumaro, reported that the agent for the coral bleaching in the Red Sea was an infectious bacteria attacking the symbiotic algae. The agent has been later identified as Vibrio shiloi. The pathogen is infectious only during warm periods; therefore, global warming would increase the occurrence of conditions that promote the spread of infection.

During the summer of 2003, coral reefs in the Red Sea appeared to gain resistance to the pathogen, and further infection was not observed. The main hypothesis for the emerged resistance is the presence of symbiotic communities of bacteria living with the corals. One species capable of lysing V. shiloi has gained prominence. This hypothetical bacteria has not yet been identified. << back