Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Coral Reefs Moving North!


A study of coral reefs in Japan, has shown that some of the reefs have been moving to different climate zones for about 80 years now. The team of greographers has been analyzing maps from four time periods, starting in 1930. They found that out of nine common coral species, four have been moving north, and two have moved to different temperature waters. Some of the coral species that moved, moved over eight miles a year.One of the scientists says the corals were moving to fight the climate increase, so they moved north. Two ways that coral dies, is a temperature change, and if there is too much acidity from high concentrations of carbon dioxide can weaken it. The water up north is more likely to have high concentraitions of carbon dioxide so scientists think its strange that the coral is going up there. This study their conducting is good to show how marine life is reacting to temperature change. All animals react differently to climate change.

1 comment:

  1. I had no idea the temperature of coral reefs effected the way things worked or even if they could possibly die! Since marine life are subject to to change when the climate changes, I guess it only makes sense that their environment would also change, or even be harmed. The fact the climate and temperature is changing is a surprise, but maybe it has to do with the whole global warming theory. Since land is changing, it only makes sense the oceans would change also. It's very interesting, though, how the water up north is so different and the temperatures are changing.

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