'Everyone talks about climate change' Luis Melky Here-Huno — or Melky as he is known around here — is East Timor's first qualified diving instructor. The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste is one of the world's youngest nations, gaining its independence and officially changing its name in 2002, after a brutal war with Indonesia. From its inception, the tiny nation has sought to project itself as an eco-tourism alternative to Indonesia's island of Bali, 2,000 kilometres west. But as Timor-Leste reopens to the world post-COVID a key challenge remains: how can its pristine natural environment be maintained while building sustainable livelihoods for...
An international study comparing data from Heron Reef and the Middle East's Gulf of Aqaba has disproved the long-held theory that coral reefs only have the capacity to emit CO2.
The first-of-its-kind discovery is the result of an international study led by The University of Queensland which found that dust blown in from nearby deserts can convertcoral reefsinto CO2sinks.
Ocean acidification is literally causing a sea change, threatening the fundamental chemical balance of the ocean and coastal waters. The lower pH can create an “osteoporosis effect” that eats away the minerals used by coral reefs, oysters, clams, lobsters, shrimp and other marine life to build their shells and skeletons.
Indonesian Gold Torch Corals certainly live up to their name. They carry a hefty price and are coveted by many, but the conditions they may have to endure before they reach your home aquarium can lead to problems. Classic Indonesian Elegance Coral (Catalaphyllia jardinei). When suffering from disease, their tentacles shrink, then the whole mantle/polyp retracts, and then they melt away. Aquarists often can only watch, helplessly, as the coral perishes.
Until recently, fish that eat coral — corallivores — were thought to weaken reef structures, while fish that consume algae anddetritus— grazers — were thought to keep reefs healthy. But scientists have discovered that feces from grazers leave large lesions on coral, possibly because they contain coral pathogens. By contrast, feces from corallivores may provide a source of beneficial microbes that help coral thrive.
