Coral reef
thriving in sediment-laden waters
Rapid rates
of coral reef growth have been identified in sediment-laden marine
environments, conditions previously believed to be detrimental to reef growth.
A new study
has established that Middle Reef – part of Australia’s iconic Great Barrier
Reef – has grown more rapidly than many other reefs in areas with lower levels
of sediment stress.
Led by the
University of Exeter, the study by an international team of scientists is
published today (1 August 2012) in the journal Geology.
Middle Reef
is located just 4 km off the mainland coast near Townsville, Australia, on the
inner Great Barrier Reef shelf. Unlike
the clear waters in which most reefs grow, Middle Reef grows in water that is
persistently ‘muddy’. The sediment comes
from waves churning up the muddy sea floor and from seasonal river flood
plumes. The Queensland coast has changed
significantly since European settlement, with natural vegetation cleared for
agricultural use increasing sediment runoff. High levels of sediment result in
poor water quality, which is believed to have a detrimental effect on marine
biodiversity.
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