Jennifer Marohasy

EARLY  Wednesday morning a 8.3 magnitude earthquake caused a tsunami in the Pacific, killing at least 140 people in Samoa and Tonga. Later in the day a 7.6 magnitude earthquake hit western Sumatra in Indonesia, drowning hundreds of people and burying thousands more under rubble.
Many in Samoa claim the warning system in place failed because [...]

“CORAL atolls have proven over thousands of years that, if left alone, they can go up and down with any sea level rise. And if we follow some simple conservation practices, they can continue to do so and to support atoll residents. But they cannot survive an unlimited population increase, or unrestricted fishing, or overpumping [...]

“RESEARCHERS in Australia say the growth of coral on the country’s iconic Great Barrier Reef has fallen since 1990 to its lowest rate in 400 years”, variations of this message have been repeated around the world with global warming, and the associated acidification of oceans, claimed to be the cause. [1]  
That was at the beginning of this year, in [...]

OVER the last week a new island has formed in the Pacific Ocean near Tonga. But, no, it is not because sea levels are falling!
Rather it is the consequence of a volcanic eruption.

A volcanic eruption allows molten rock, ash, and poisonous gases to escape from the earth’s mantle sometimes resulting in the formation of a [...]

The total mass of bony fish in the ocean is between 812 million tons and 2,050 million tons, producing around 110 million tons of calcium carbonate per year – reducing the risk of ocean acidification.  Read more here.

HAVE you ever wondered what happens when corals grow so tall they are above sea level or whether the Great Barrier Reef could extend its range further south with global warming?
If you are curious you will probably enjoy and learn much from a new 81-page report by Craig D. Idso on global warming and coral [...]

We’re often told that the sea temperature along the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is increasing and that soon the coral will be bleached and the reef be destroyed. But what’s the real story according to the data?

The USA’s National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has a web page with recent data and maps, along with [...]

“Researchers in Australia say the growth of coral on the country’s iconic Great Barrier Reef (GBR) has fallen since 1990 to its lowest rate in 400 years,” variations of this message have been repeated around the world from South Korea to London with global warming, and the associated acidification of oceans, claimed to be the [...]

Scientists have reported a rapid recovery in some of the coral reefs damaged by the Indian Ocean tsunami four years ago.  Read more here.

The Greens reckon the Great Barrier Reef is a casualty of Labor’s lower-than-expected emissions reduction target, but for those who work among the corals, forecasts aren’t so bleak.  Read more here.