Great barrier reef faces major coral destruction

Australia's Great Barrier Reef will lose most of its coral cover by 2050 and, at worst, the world's largest coral system could collapse by 2100 because of global warming, a study released recently said.

The study by Queensland University's Center for Marine Studies, commissioned by the Worldwide Fund for Nature, said that the destruction of coral on the Great Barrier Reef was inevitable due to global warming, regardless of what actions were taken now.

"Under the worst-case scenario, coral populations will collapse by 2100 and the re-establishment of coral reefs will be highly unlikely over the following 200-500 years," said the report entitled "Implications of Climate Change for Australia's Great Barrier Reef."

The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest living reef formation stretching 2,000 km north to south along Australia's northeast coast.

"Only if global average temperature change is kept to below two degrees Celsius can the Reef have any chance of recovering from the predicted damage," the report said.

Coral has a narrow comfort zone and is highly stressed by a temperature rise of less than one degree Celsius.

Water temperature rises of less than one degree coincided with the world's worst recorded coral bleaching episode in 1988. With bleaching, the warmer water forces out the algae that give coral its color and, if all are lost, the coral dies and the reef will crumble. In 1988, 16 percent of the world's coral died, with 46 percent of the Indian Ocean coral destroyed.

Scientists project water temperatures to rise this century by between two and six degrees Celsius.

"There is little to no evidence that corals can adapt fast enough to match even the lower projected temperature rise," said the report.

Over-fishing and pollution from coastal farms were also contributing to the destruction of coral on the Great Barrier Reef.

The Great Barrier Reef supports huge fishing and tourism industries. Even under favorable conditions tourists would only be able to experience real corals in reef "theme parks".

最近发表的一项研究结果表明：到2050年，澳大利亚大堡礁的大部分珊瑚将不复存在。在最坏的情况下，到2100年，这个世界上最大的珊瑚体系将由于全球变暖而彻底崩溃。

受世界自然保护基金会委托，澳大利亚昆士兰大学海洋研究中心进行了研究，研究结果表明全球变暖对大堡礁珊瑚的破坏是“不可避免”的，无论现在再采取什么措施都为时已晚。

这份题为《气候变化对澳大利亚大堡礁的影响》的报告说：“按最坏情况预计，到2100年，大堡礁的珊瑚将彻底崩溃，而且要想在最近200到500年间重新恢复这样的珊瑚礁几乎是不可能的。”

大堡礁是世界上最大的活珊瑚礁，分布在澳大利亚东北海岸，由北向南绵延2000公里。

报告中说：“除非全球平均温度变化保持在两摄氏度以下，大堡礁才有机会从预期的破坏中复元。”

适合珊瑚生长的地域范围很小，即使气温上升不到1摄氏度都会对它们造成严重的影响。

世界上有记载的最严重的珊瑚退色事件发生在1988年，刚好这一年海水温度上升了不到1摄氏度。温度偏高的海水赶走了赋予珊瑚颜色的海藻。如果海藻全部消失，珊瑚就会死去，珊瑚礁就会崩溃。1988年，世界上16%的珊瑚死亡，其中，印度洋中46%的珊瑚遭到破坏。

科学家们预测本世纪海水的温度将上升2到6摄氏度。

报告中还说：“目前没有证据表明，珊瑚能够尽快适应温度的上升，即使预期的上升幅度比实际情况偏低。”

过度捕捞和沿海农场造成的环境污染也是导致大堡礁逐渐衰亡的原因。

大堡礁支撑着巨大的捕鱼业和旅游业。即使时在良好的情况下，游客也将只能在“珊瑚礁主题公园”中领略珊瑚美景了。

at worst: 在最坏的情况下
coincide with: 与……一致