Collaborative land, sea strategies vital for reef conservation: Study

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
9 Aug 2023 22:13

A new study proposes that a combined approach to mitigating human-induced impacts on both land and sea can enhance the prospects of coral reef recovery.

File photo of coral bleaching of Great Barrier Reef in Australia (AFP via Getty Images)

A recent study presents a glimmer of hope for the preservation of the world's imperiled coral reefs, crucial components of marine ecosystems threatened by escalating ocean temperatures. The study, released on Wednesday and based on two decades of data from Hawaii's US island, proposes that a combined approach to mitigating human-induced impacts on both land and sea can enhance the prospects of coral reef recovery.

The co-lead author of the study, Gareth Williams, a marine ecologist at the UK's Bangor University, underscored the necessity of addressing both land-based factors, such as wastewater pollution and sea-based influences like overfishing to ensure the persistence of coral reefs. Employing high-resolution data and extensive underwater surveys, the research explored the correlation between human impacts and reef rehabilitation.

The study revealed varying resilience levels of coral reefs during heat waves. Notably, 18 percent of surveyed reefs in Hawaii remained relatively unscathed, and in some instances, thrived during a notable marine heatwave in 2015, defying the elevated temperatures. The reefs' ability to rejuvenate hinged on their prior exposure to human pollutants and the abundance of algae-consuming fish that facilitated regrowth.

Moreover, the research introduced a model that demonstrated how concurrently tackling land and sea issues considerably amplified the likelihood of reefs recovering after a heatwave, up to six times more than addressing these matters separately. The study's co-lead author, Jamison Grove of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, highlighted the challenge of integrating land and sea management efforts due to centralized governance structures.

However, the study's authors cautioned that the positive impacts of localized management could be overshadowed by the intensifying coral bleaching events induced by human-caused climate change, as ocean temperatures continue to rise. The findings, published in the journal Nature, coincided with the recent revelation that global ocean temperatures reached an all-time high on July 30.

These developments emerge shortly after numerous nations committed to safeguarding 30 percent of the Earth's land and ocean by 2030 as part of biodiversity preservation efforts.