Nearly two-thirds of the world's coral reefs were subjected to heat stress severe enough to trigger bleaching last year, the leading coral reef monitoring agency said on Thursday.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced last month that the world's coral reefs were experiencing a fourth mass bleaching event, as climate change combined with an El Niño weather pattern raised sea temperatures. oceans to records.
Corals in the Atlantic Ocean have been most affected by rising ocean temperatures, with 99.7% of the basin's reefs subject to bleaching heat stress over the past year, NOAA said.
Triggered by heat stress, coral bleaching occurs when corals expel the colorful algae living in their tissues. Without these helpful algae, corals turn pale and are vulnerable to starvation and disease.
Scientists have documented mass bleaching in at least 62 countries and territories, with India and Sri Lanka recently reporting impacts.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
