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Scientists Say Most Diverse Coral Site Ever Seen on Great Barrier Reef Discovered (theguardian.com)

In a space no longer than 500 metres, researchers say they recorded at least 195 different species of corals. From a report: A team of researchers says it has discovered the most diverse coral site ever recorded on the Great Barrier Reef. Great Barrier Reef Legacy, a non-profit organisation that conducts research trips on the reef, and scientist Charlie Veron, known as the godfather of coral, have identified the site on the outer reef. In a space no longer than 500 metres, the researchers say they recorded at least 195 different species of corals on a research expedition last month. The group first stumbled upon the site on a voyage last year, and returned in November to conduct studies.

"I've spent eight years working on the Great Barrier Reef in just about every nook and cranny," Veron said. "I thought there would be nothing new for me on the Great Barrier Reef." Veron returned with the group to record the corals and will write a paper on the site. He said it was located in a general area that had been affected by widespread coral bleaching and coral mortality and it would take further work to assess why this particular spot had survived so far. It also appeared to have been unaffected by cyclones and other factors such as crown of thorns that threaten coral health.

38 comments

  1. "In a space no longer than 500 metres" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I wish I could have more faith that part wouldn't be deliberately overlooked by the onslaught of denialists that will now begin to spam "See, this proves the coral reefs are totally fine." I guess we'll see.

    1. Re:"In a space no longer than 500 metres" by mermeid007 · · Score: 1

      Ask it why its so standoffish HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! budump-ching!

    2. Re: "In a space no longer than 500 metres" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Denialists? Why do you AGW cultists always talk in religious terms of faith instead of using terms from science like proof, evidence, error bars and so on?

      Because you ARE religious anti-science cultists.

    3. Re:"In a space no longer than 500 metres" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I wish I could have more faith that science journalists wouldn't deliberately overlook the fact that all these models and predictions are being made with reconstructed and modified data using those very models to determine how the data ought to be corrected.

      Nothing scientific about that.

    4. Re:"In a space no longer than 500 metres" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No worries, Global Warming will soon kill off these aberrant creatures, right after the next ice age, which was predicted in the 1970s. It is important to preserve the chronology of time and history after all.

    5. Re:"In a space no longer than 500 metres" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      A reef within a reef is the answer.
      Having hit the reef and grounded on a very expensive scuba boat with crash sleds despite modern gps etc the answer is easy. A lot of the reef is uncharted. There are nooks and crannies where a boat may get stuck on a reef, but also like a maze, find a bit where fishermen avoid. now with drones, these hard to get at spots may be found by cyanide bearing aquarium poachers.

      If follows that other reefs can be remodeled on this model. Plenty of coral harvesting to replace expensive tourist islands that got damaged still goes on.

  2. Re:Thanks for killing the reef, TRUMP! by mermeid007 · · Score: 0

    Wait, did you just accuse trumputin of being a bungling idiot? Avast!

  3. Yet Every Ice Age - Completely destroyed by rtb61 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    So the great barrier reef, so diverse, yet every iceage, it goes from being an underwater formation, to a well inland above sea level formation, fully exposed to wind and sun, entirely destroyed every ten odd thousands years or so, interesting huh. Coral seems to have little problem re-settling as conditions change. There are coral cores that prove it, though they are little discussed for some reason?

    --
    Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
    1. Re:Yet Every Ice Age - Completely destroyed by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      Just because you aren't exposed to them doesn't mean these things aren't discussed. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/dec/06/global-warming-extinction-report-the-great-dying

    2. Re:Yet Every Ice Age - Completely destroyed by grep+-v+'.*'+* · · Score: 1

      though they are little discussed for some reason?

      STOP IT -- you're disturbing the public performance. Are you trying to go back to re-education camp again? I hear they have extra-better marshmallows now.

      --
      If the universe is someone's simulation -- does that mean the stars are just stuck pixels?
    3. Re:Yet Every Ice Age - Completely destroyed by mermeid007 · · Score: 1

      What are the odds of finding this? No bigger than 1/infinity

    4. Re:Yet Every Ice Age - Completely destroyed by dfghjk · · Score: 3, Informative

      "Coral seems to have little problem re-settling as conditions change. There are coral cores that prove it, though they are little discussed for some reason?"

      That's is well known, and just because YOU don't hear it discussed doesn't mean there's a conspiracy. Just because coral doesn't go extinct due to sea level changes of a meter or so a year doesn't mean we shouldn't be concerned with current circumstances.

    5. Re: Yet Every Ice Age - Completely destroyed by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There is obviously a conspiracy. Mueller will find every dirty little secret and expose all to the sunlight if pence does not come clean. Up next: bye bye Brussels

    6. Re:Yet Every Ice Age - Completely destroyed by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Just because coral doesn't go extinct due to sea level changes of a meter or so a year doesn't mean we shouldn't be concerned with current circumstances.

      I disagree. If it can handle sea level changes of a meter or so a year, it can probably handle current circumstances of sea levels rising at a rate of 3.2 mm per year.

      https://climate.nasa.gov/vital-signs/sea-level/

    7. Re:Yet Every Ice Age - Completely destroyed by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What makes you think coral can handle sea level changes at anything like a metre a year?? And what on earth would even cause that?? Ice ages certainly wouldn't. It'd require adding or removing 360,000 cubic kilometres of water - you'd have to melt (or freeze) thousands of entire mountains of solid ice every year to approach that.

  4. And then within 2 years by fredrated · · Score: 1

    95 species were destroyed due to pollution from all the visitation by people wanting to see this amazing site.

    1. Re:And then within 2 years by mermeid007 · · Score: 1

      It is an odd reef, but seriously, there is a much stranger reef further down the coast. It formed in such a way, when the tide is low, the wind whistles through various formations and almost seems like a voice. Species are great and all, but what can you say to us about the other reef?

    2. Re:And then within 2 years by Fly+Swatter · · Score: 1

      These were my thoughts too, a shame really, some things are best left undiscovered.

  5. Talk a little about this denial? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=923SiDdLSic

  6. "In a space no longer than 500 metres ... " by swell · · Score: 1

    If it passes the test of redundancy,
    it bears repeating.

    --
    ...omphaloskepsis often...
  7. Diversity is hot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Warmer sea waters allows some species to thrive

  8. Re: Diversity by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Up next: Australian scientists announce latest figures on runaway climate change

  9. Destroyed? Are you sure? by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

    A) If they just now found this patch with so many various coral species, how can you ro anyone claim some particular coral species is extinct? It may still be alive, just somewhere they have not seen.

    B) Perhaps you are confused by reports of bleaching? Because that does not "destroy" coral, they start to recover after a few years.

    C) How did "visitation" kill anything? the GBR is highly controlled as to who can visit where.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    1. Re: Destroyed? Are you sure? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      It's not correct to say Bleaching doesn't, it does kill just like being shot will kill you in most cases without treatment, however if any zooxanthellae survive, then the corral can recover, but this is not a short process.

      I've had pieces bleech and survive, but it still has taken years for them to fully recover their color, though sometimes they can start growing again within months, even if stunted.

  10. amazing by sad_ · · Score: 1

    how much there is still to be discovered on our little planet earth.
    and this was an area that was actively studies and monitored and they still managed to miss it.
    makes you wonder what other things we haven't found yet.

    --
    On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero.
  11. Hmm, obviously by Sqreater · · Score: 1

    Obviously he stumbled upon nature's backup.

    --
    E Proelio Veritas.
    1. Re:Hmm, obviously by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      My thought as well. Small enclaves like this provide the see stock for re-colonization when conditions change. Quietly study it, take few samples and don't let it become a tourist stopping point.

    2. Re:Hmm, obviously by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Nice backup you have there.
      Would be a shame if something happened to it.

  12. Re: Thanks for killing the reef, TRUMP! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Or maybe the last inhabitable place will have a lot of people, I mean fish, moving in to fight over that habitable spot...

  13. Re: Diversity by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    All the rats climb up the last as a ship sinks too.

    Does that mean a sinking ship is a healthy ecosystem?

    No potatoe for you!

  14. Alright let's get to it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Time to kill this one too, you know what to do everyone