4 days ago

After 2024 Bleaching, El Niño Threatens Coral Reefs Further

El Niño is a natural event that can make parts of the ocean unusually warm.

Very warm water can make corals lose the tiny algae that help feed them.

This makes the corals look white, which is called bleaching.

Bleached corals can recover, but too much heat for too long can kill them.

A large bleaching event already happened around the world from 2023 into 2024.

Scientists worry that another strong El Niño could hurt reefs that have not recovered.

Reefs are important because they help sea animals, fisheries, tourism and coastal communities.

People are growing corals and studying stronger varieties, but reducing greenhouse-gas emissions is needed to address the main problem.

Key facts

Previous bleaching event: A global bleaching episode began in 2023 and intensified through 2024.
Main threat: Prolonged ocean heat can cause bleaching and eventually kill corals.
El Niño effect: El Niño involves unusually warm waters across the central and eastern tropical Pacific and can alter global weather and temperatures.
Bleaching process: Corals expel microscopic algae that provide energy, causing them to turn white.
Reef benefits: Reefs support fisheries, tourism, coastal communities and thousands of marine species.
Restoration methods: Researchers are growing corals in underwater nurseries and studying corals that survived earlier bleaching.
Key limitation: Restoration cannot solve the underlying problem if ocean temperatures continue rising.

businesstoday.in · 4 days ago