Reefs cover less than 1% of the Earth's surface, but are home to 25% of marine species, making them critical to food supply, shoreline protection and tourism. For sea turtles, it's a matter of survival.
The coral reefs off the shores of the Florida Keys should be vibrant and colorful this time of year. But after some of the highest recorded water surface temperatures, scientists say they're seeing a very different picture.surface water temperature at more than 100 degrees
, which scientists believe is due, in part, to human-caused climate change. It's a trend researchers predict could last well into the fall, with elevated water temperatures continuing to strain coral, which has been stripped of its color due to the rising temperatures. said Cheeca Rocks, off of Islamorada, has been one of the reefs that has held on.
"This has been a resilient reef," said Ian Enochs, who has been doing research there for about 10 years, as head of the coral program atHe wasn't prepared for the state of Cheeca Rocks today: a virtual moonscape, a condition known as bleaching. Extremely warm water causes the coral to lose the algae it needs to survive, leaving them looking like ghosts.
"As a scientist, we are trying not to be emotional," said Enochs. "For me just seeing the scale of death, it's hard to kind of come to terms with that."A coral reef ghost town. / Credit: CBS News"We are trying to rescue as much of the genetic diversity and as much of the stock that we have.
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