Severe and widespread coral reef damage during the 2014-2017 Global Coral Bleaching Event
Climate Central · NOAA Center for Satellite Applications and Research · +136 more institutions
Abstract
Ocean warming is increasing the frequency, extent, and severity of tropical-coral bleaching and mortality. During 2014-2017, marine heatwaves caused the Third Global Coral Bleaching Event. We analyze data from 15,066 reef surveys globally during 2014-2017. Across all surveyed reefs, 80% and 35% experienced moderate or greater (affecting >10% of corals) bleaching and mortality, respectively. We assess the global extent of coral bleaching and mortality by applying bleaching response curves calibrated from surveyed reefs to predict bleaching globally, based on comprehensive remote-sensing of heat stress. These models predict that 51% and 15% of the world's coral reefs suffered moderate or greater bleaching and…
Citation impact
- FWCI
- 160.73
- Percentile
- 100%
- References
- 72
Authors
179- CMC. Mark EakinCorresponding
Climate Central, NOAA Center for Satellite Applications and Research
- SFScott F. Heron
ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, NOAA Center for Satellite Applications and Research, James Cook University
- SRSean R. Connolly
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, James Cook University
- DDDenise Devotta
Global Science & Technology (United States), NOAA Center for Satellite Applications and Research
- GLGang Liu
NOAA Center for Satellite Applications and Research
Topics & keywords
- Coral bleaching
- Coral reef
- Reef
- Effects of global warming on oceans
- Coral
- Global warming
- Resilience of coral reefs
- Climate change
- Life below water