A study recently completed by the University or Hawaii shows this summer received the highest global mean sea surface temperatures ever recorded. In the attached article Axel Timmermann, climate scientist and professor explains, The 2014 global ocean warming is mostly due to the North Pacific, which has warmed far beyond any recorded value and has shifted hurricane tracks, weakened trade winds, and produced coral bleaching in the Hawaiian Islands.. What is coral bleaching? Coral bleaching defined by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration): When corals are stressed by changes in conditions such as temperature, light, or nutrients, they expel the symbiotic algae living in their tissues, causing them to turn completely white. When a coral bleaches, it is not dead. Corals can survive a bleaching event, but they are under more stress and are subject to mortality. What can you do to help? Hawaii and other areas have monitoring networks to document coral bleaching events. Check out your area to see if they have a local chapter. Ocean users are asked to submit initial sightings before they go unnoticed for too long. The biggest way that we all can help is by reducing our carbon footprint and pledging to vote and take action for cleaner energy and protection of the Arctic. As sea ice melts, more greenhouse gasses are released which causes ocean warming, and therefore bleaching events. Aloha Join our movement. oceandefenderhawaii See full article here: sciencedaily/releases/2014/11/141114090009.htm Coral Bleaching photo by Division of Aquatic Resources, HI Infographic by Axel Timmermann
Posted on: Fri, 14 Nov 2014 17:16:33 +0000
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