There has been a lot of news about the decline of the great barrier reefs and the legislative actions we need to take to combat global carbon dioxide levels. In fact this morning I was listening to NPR about a research lab located on an island out side of the Great Barrier Reef. The researchers had a control tank and a tank that had increased levels of carbon dioxide and temperature. Of course the non-control tank was not doing so well. The lead researcher was disheartened about the future of the reefs.
Then this afternoon in a conversation I learned that deep water reefs are starting to expand. These reefs are located 180 feet under the surface of the ocean. At these depths only blue light makes it to corals who grow parallel to the ocean’s surface. Species like these banana corals have learned to survive and thrive. Threats to these corals include dredging, transatlantic communication lines, and shifting tectonics.
As alarming as the global climate predictions are, the earth as we know it can change instantly. However, one thing we can predict is the earth and it’s plants, animals, & humans will adapt legislation or not.
Amber M. Baylor 