“One-third of the 3,863 reefs that make up the Great Barrier Reef — the largest, most extensive reef system in the world — went through a catastrophic die-off after a searing heat wave in 2016, according to a newly published study in the journal Nature. A bleaching event in 2017 devastated even more of that reef, and the cumulative effects have killed an estimated half of the magnificent system in just two years.”
It’s a quote from the article below, a work that fits in the “doom and gloom” category. But unlike articles about Planet X, the “unavoidable catastrophic” eruption of Yellowstone or the reversal of the Earth’s magnetic poles, this is “real doom and gloom”. Corals around the world are dying at an alarming rate. This can lead to sudden, disastrous effects on the ocean ecosystem (and thus, the entire planet).
Even though a small number of coral species benefit from higher heat and acidity tolerance, the significant world-wide drop in coral density will affect oceans in ways that might seriously disrupt, among others, our food supply. It’s hard to predict how this will affect the Earth’s population. Even for those that don’t eat fish (like myself), a shortage of fish will result in increased demand (and price) for all other foodstuffs.
Personally, I quit eating fish long time ago due to the fact that most fish I can find in shops comes from waters where there is a high risk of pollution. It’s going to be a while until I can trust eating anything coming from an ocean where humans have dumped their experiments and industrial residue for centuries:
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