Status of coral reefs of the World: 2000
Wilkinson, C. (Ed.) (2000). Status of coral reefs of the World: 2000. Status of coral reefs of the World. Australian Institute of Marine Science: Townsville. ISBN 0-642-32209-0. 363 pp.
Part of: Status of coral reefs of the World. Australian Institute of Marine Science: Townsville, Qld.. ISSN 1447-6185, more
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| Keywords |
Reefs > Biogenic deposits > Coral reefs
Topographic features > Landforms > Islands
Marine/Coastal |
| Abstract |
Coral reefs of the world have continued to decline since the previous GCRMN report in 1998. Assessments to late 2000 are that 27% of the world’s reefs have been effectively lost, with the largest single cause being the massive climate-related coral bleaching event of 1998. This destroyed about 16% of the coral reefs of the world in 9 months during the largest El Niño and La Niña climate changes ever recorded. While there is a good chance that many of the 16% of damaged reefs will recover slowly, probably half of these reefs will never adequately recover. These will add to the 11% of the world’s reefs already lost due to human impacts such as sediment and nutrient pollution, over-exploitation and mining of sand and rock and development on, and ‘reclamation’ of, coral reefs. |
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