Great Barrier Reef Deteriorating Because Of Coral Bleaching

Great Barrier Reef is deteriorating, and fast. According to scientists, the whole reef is undergoing "complete ecosystem collapse," which can affect many negatively. 

According to the Guardian, Coral Watch Chief investigator Justin Marshall assessed the reefs surrounding Lizard Island on Queensland. He discovered a disturbing phenomena worth studying further.

Marshall believe that something is grossly wrong because many of the fish species usually spotted around the coral all but vanished.  

He attributed this to coral bleaching. This is the process when the ocean, which is warmed through climate change, can lead to coral communities to release algae.

"The lack of fish was the most shocking thing," Marshall told the Guardian. "In broad terms, I was seeing a lot less than 50 percent of what was there [before the bleaching]. Some species I wasn't seeing at all."

He also shared with The Guardian how  corals still continued to bleach, even as cooler water from the Southern Hemisphere's winter already settled in. 

"There are still corals bleaching," said the scientist. "Especially noticeable on Lizard Island were the soft corals. Some of them have remained bleached. And some of the hard corals are still white."

Marshall however, claimed that it is fortunate that he managed to he see some recovered corals, as well as some anemones that  was already bleached but managed to survive.

Coral Watch also warned the dangers of bleach, because this can waken the health of reef as time posses by.

According to Carton Watch, the bleaching can reduce the overall health of the reefs over time.

"One-quarter of all marine life lives in or around a reef," writes Coral Watch, as reported by Weather.com. "What happens when these reefs disappear? Current predictions are that coral reefs worldwide could be gone within 25 years. How much will be left after this global bleaching event?"