The Rising Tide on climate change skepticism.
(files.catbox.moe)https://files.catbox.moe/ab5dhs.jpgGreat Barrier Reef (GBR) ecological systemThe GBR has been around for 600,000 years and the modern GBR forming 9,500 years ago [sic] due to natural sea level changes.
Geologists & palaeoclimatologists stipulate that the GBR has survived, relocated & thrived many times despite NATURAL sea level rises & falls of up to 120 metres.
During periods of high sea level, when the continental shelf was inundated, corals were able to grow in the warm shallow waters and create reefs. During these periods, reefs accumulated at rates more than 10m per thousand years. The formation of the Great Barrier Reef has occurred throughout many such periods of reef growth. It is important to understand that reef growth only occurred during periods where conditions were conducive to coral growth and reef formation. It is estimated that coral’s have only been exposed to conditions suitable for reef formation for ~10% of the ecological time between the last two interglacial periods
The great barrier reef as we know it developed during the last period of sea level rise which began around 9,500 years ago. It is estimated that the primary reef growth began around 9,000 years ago and continued until approximately 4,000 – 5,000 years ago. For the most part, the sea level on the Great Barrier Reef has been relatively stable for the last 6000 years, allowing the Great Barrier Reef to continue developing to what is present today.
In 2022, the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) reported the highest levels of coral cover across two-thirds of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) in over 36 years. After recent massive bleaching events impacted nearly 90% of Australia's corals, it seems that anyone could see this news as a victory.
Herberton Mining Museum, QLD, Australia (1.5hrs inland form Cairns)
