Quote:
Originally Posted by Arragonis
Nope. The great barrier reef is fine, they adjust - who knew ? They are older than human history - maybe there is a clue ?
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That one is easy: half the coral on the Great Barrier Reef has disappeared over the past 30 years. Some of the loss is due to run off from land based activities, such as agriculture (pesticide and fertilizer residues), which would have occurred regardless of greenhouse gas emissions. Some of it is due to the various impacts of greenhouse gas emissions. The loss has been because of a combined effect.
The causes attributable to greenhouse gas emissions include the aforementioned acidity, warming ocean temperatures (eg. coral bleaching) and an increase in the run off from land due to unusually intense and frequent storms. The storms have also caused direct physical damage. This reef has copped it from many directions.
The run off also damages the reef because it increases turbidity, which has direct effects on the coral. More significantly it has also increased the survival of Crown of Thorns starfish larvae which, as adults, eat the coral.
The consequences of greenhouse gas emissions, indeed human activity in general, are cumulative. That applies to all ecosystems.
Addressing climate change is just the most pressing issue at the moment. That is because it has the most widespread effects, the effects have long term consequences and are not easily reversible. No, it's not the only issue that has to be addressed. It does have to be seen as the first step in acknowledging that our home planet is finite and its resources cannot be seconded for our use without limit.