How are scientists preventing coral bleaching?

One option is to create more marine protected areas—essentially national parks in the ocean. Scientists say creating marine refuges, where fishing, mining, and recreating are off limits, make the reefs healthier, and so more resilient.

What did researchers discover helps coral reefs better handle bleaching conditions?

Scientists in Australia say they have found a way to help coral reefs fight the devastating effects of bleaching by making them more heat-resistant. Rising sea temperatures make corals expel tiny algae which live inside them. When injected back into the coral, the algae can handle warmer water better.

How do scientists restore coral reefs?

Using innovative techniques, like underwater coral farming and reattaching broken coral pieces, these projects transplant and restore thousands of coral colonies on damaged reef sites. Trained scuba divers are given special permission to work on the reefs.

What are scientists doing to protect the Great Barrier Reef?

There are projects that range from education programs, plastic pollution control, COTS eradication, coral nurseries, renewable energy development and responsible stewardship by marine park tourism organisations, which all contribute to helping save the Great Barrier Reef.

What causes coral reefs to bleach?

The leading cause of coral bleaching is climate change. A warming planet means a warming ocean, and a change in water temperature—as little as 2 degrees Fahrenheit—can cause coral to drive out algae. Coral may bleach for other reasons, like extremely low tides, pollution, or too much sunlight.

What are scientists doing to help the Great Barrier Reef?

When did coral bleaching start in the Great Barrier Reef?

The first mass global bleaching events were recorded in 1998 and 2010, which was when the El Niño caused the oceans temperatures to rise and worsened the corals living conditions. The 2014–2017 El Niño was recorded to be the longest and most damaging to the corals, which harmed over 70\% of our coral reefs.