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May 2024 | View previous edition
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Waypoint is AIMS' newsletter, delivering a regular selection of AIMS news and achievements directly to your inbox.
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Widespread coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef
In March, the fifth mass coral bleaching event on the Great Barrier Reef was confirmed. It is part of the 4th global bleaching event, which began in 2023 in the northern hemisphere.
Observations indicate this mass coral bleaching event is one of the most extensive and serious to occur on the Reef. Almost half the reefs (46%) in the Great Barrier Reef experienced record levels of heat stress. Nearly 60% of reefs were exposed to levels of heat stress that causes coral bleaching and increases the risk of mortality from bleaching.
We conducted aerial surveys with the Reef Authority to document the spatial extent and prevalence of bleaching along the length of the Great Barrier Reef. Detailed findings show the pattern of bleaching is largely consistent with the prolonged heat stress.
Underwater, we carried out our largest ever science activity during a mass coral bleaching event. The teams carried out fine-scale assessments to understand the ecological and evolutionary impacts of bleaching and develop new tools for reef restoration.
Alongside coral bleaching this summer, the Reef also faced pressures from two cyclones, several severe flood events and the continued outbreak of coral-eating starfish in the southern region. The Reef snapshot: summer 2023-24 looks at the recent summer conditions and how these have affected corals and Reef health. It will take time for scientists and managers to assess these impacts across the Reef.
The snapshot is produced in collaboration with the Reef Authority, AIMS and CSIRO.
Other AIMS News
Global coral bleaching demands a global response
AIMS scientists Dr Britta Schaffelke and Dr David Wachenfeld, and AIMS CEO Professor Selina Stead, discuss the importance of science in understanding coral bleaching events and developing solutions to improve reef resilience.
Discovering how Western Australia's oceanic reefs fared this summer
AIMS scientists are venturing to the remote oceanic reefs of Ashmore, Scott and Mermaid to monitor how they fared this summer. It's been a few years since we surveyed these reefs.
Reef Resilience Symposium
Images - Left: AIMS CEO Professor Selina Stead addresses the symposium. Right: Attendees at the Symposium. Photos courtesy of Reef and Rainforest Research Centre.
In April, reef practitioners, managers, researchers, engineers, Traditional Owners and industry leaders came together to share and discuss research, innovation and on-ground action that supports the resilience of the Great Barrier Reef.
AIMS scientists shared their research across many topics, including Traditional Owner partnerships, detecting crown-of-thorns starfish, upscaling interventions, coral seeding methods, and technologies for coral reef monitoring.
If you couldn't attend or want to re-watch the talks, the event livestream videos are available on YouTube.
The Reef Resilience Symposium 2024 was co-convened by the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program and the COTS Control Innovation Program through funding from the partnership between the Australian Government's Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.
New scientific papers
Briggs, N.D., Page, C.A., Giuliano, C. et al. Dissecting coral recovery: bleaching reduces reproductive output in Acropora millepora. Coral Reefs (2024).
Thomas, L., Şahin, D., Adam, A.S. et al. Resilience to periodic disturbances and the long-term genetic stability in Acropora coral. Commun Biol 7, 410 (2024).
Matthews, Samuel A. et al. Protecting Great Barrier Reef resilience through effective management of crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks. PLOS ONE 19 (2024)
AIMS in the spotlight
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