RIP Great Barrier Reef:

[speeder]

Obituary: Great Barrier Reef (25 Million BC-2016) | Outside Online

This sucks.

[Chocaholic]

Evolution. We can't stop it no matter how hard we try. Nor should we. Life finds a way.

[MRM]

As
As my kids say whenever I try to get them interested in something: What has the Great Barrier Reef ever done for me?

Seriously, the issue with the Great Barrier isn't global warming, it's the increasing acidity of the water. If the Aussies (or anyone else) wanted to mitigate that risk, all they have to do is dump barge loads of something basic (like limestone class five gravel) into the reef and restore the PH level. No, I don't know why no one is doing it either. I'd contribute toward a charity that did that, although the governments that make money off the GBR should be spearheading that endeavor.

[Scott R]

It happens.

[wayner]

I don't know why people want to preserve glaciers either. They have been much more damaging to the earth than humans...

[Bill Douglas]

It certainly wasn't dead a couple of years ago when GF and I had a fabulous 10 days snorkeling off Lizard Island.

[tevake]

Things are changeing rapidly in many important reef areas.
Bleaching is going wide spread, Alges,fungus, acidic water balance, warming ect all may be contributing factors. Hard to know if these are new factors or happen occasionally thru time.
Here is an article about the current state of the reefs in Hawaii, not looking good.
It's was hard to see these shockingly rapid changes in my home waters.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/hawaiis-threatened-coral-reefs/

[tevake]

It's hard to know how well intended intervention efforts may effect the overall balance of such a complex community of creatures.

Hawaii is a clear reflection of good efforts gone bad. When you look over the remote areas of the islands there , about 75% of what you are seeing are Agressive invasive species introduced either intentionally or accidentally by man.

Not so cheerie Richard

[McLovin]

"Good barrier reef," Bob mused, casually donning a snorkel, "but certainly not a great barrier reef."

[island911]

Nice ^

Originally Posted by MRM

As
As my kids say whenever I try to get them interested in something: What has the Great Barrier Reef ever done for me?

Seriously, the issue with the Great Barrier isn't global warming, it's the increasing acidity of the water. If the Aussies (or anyone else) wanted to mitigate that risk, all they have to do is dump barge loads of something basic (like limestone class five gravel) into the reef and restore the PH level. No, I don't know why no one is doing it either. I'd contribute toward a charity that did that, although the governments that make money off the GBR should be spearheading that endeavor.

Of course then it could not be used as a pawn for all of the virtue-signaling ninnies to tell the world how much they care.

Really, the reefs are all constantly doing battle with the ever-changing environment. Just look at all of those beautiful sandy beaches ...which are made from the tropical fishes that chow on the reefs and shtt out the indigestible coral fragments. --Should we kill all of those reef-eating fishes?

So many want everything to be tied somehow to AGW. It's ridiculous.

[AFC-911]

Originally Posted by Bill Douglas

It certainly wasn't dead a couple of years ago when GF and I had a fabulous 10 days snorkeling off Lizard Island.

I'm glad to hear that some parts are still ok...But on the other hand, tour operators aren't going to take you to see dead corals.

[HardDrive]

Originally Posted by McLovin

"Good barrier reef," Bob mused, casually donning a snorkel, "but certainly not a great barrier reef."

Hah! Very well played sir!

[cashflyer]

Reef Life Matters

[john70t]

Nice quips.

But it will become a serious matter later on.
And not just for Australia.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

Evolution. We can't stop it no matter how hard we try. Nor should we. Life finds a way.

Unless the human race becomes extinct... we probably can't stop that either, and it s a very real possibility...

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by AFC-911

I'm glad to hear that some parts are still ok...But on the other hand, tour operators aren't going to take you to see dead corals.

Some bits certainly are dead And the big tour opperators do give it some grief. The boss (girlfiend) and I went out to a luxury lodge on Lizard Island in the north then did a day trip to the edge of the Great Barrier Reef. The best holiday ever.

[island911]

To be generous I'll point out that the OP is ridiculously sensationalistic.

I mean RIP? Obituary? c'mon.

May as well say Snow - RIP

A quick search gave this response to that ridiculous OP assertion.
The Great Barrier Reef isn't dead (yet)

[tevake]

Funny jokes aside, and I did get a chuckle.

I'm relieved to see that some here are able to pickup on the seriousness of the situation.

The reefs are more than a canary in the ecosystem. They are essential to the nearshore fish populations that coastal subsistence livers are so dependent upon.
Also the barrier they creat is essential to the maintenance of coastlines they protect.
For example the North shore of Kauai would quickly erode in the large winter swells if not for the protection the living reefs provide.
Unfortunately what's happening mostly unseen strikes me as a possible indication of larger Problems at play in the largest ecosystem on earth.

I've seen firsthand in my ocean wandering the clear signs of fish population decline,
As well as the decline of associated marine life. Seabirds, marine mammals are also seeming to be less present in the open ocean, than just 25 years ago

The oceans are not the infinite "resorces "man has seen it to be.
I hope we come to some realization of the importance of its health to the well being of our little crowed world.
And are willing to address our part in the changes going on.

I'll try to step down from the soap box now.
Just want to share the perspective of one that has lived as immersed in this coastal nearshore environment as possible most of my life.
Cheers Richard

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by speeder

Obituary: Great Barrier Reef (25 Million BC-2016) | Outside Online

This sucks.

Sure does.

With no force on earth capable of preventing the oceans from continuing to warm and acidify for centuries to come

We have passed the point of no return. Soon only jellyfish, starfish and horseshoe crabs will inhabit the oceans based on PH projections.

Game over - for the human species at least.

Self extinguished.

[Eric Coffey]

Originally Posted by kach22i

Self extinguished.

No.

If in fact we see an extinction event in the distant future it wouldn't be the first time, nor would it be the first one that involved ocean acidification.

There have been several mass extinction events on this planet, and the most recent one happened loooooog before man was around.