[Coral-List] Scientists Warning, State of the World 2023, An Alarming Data-Based Report

[Austin Bowden-Kerby]

https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/advance-article/doi/10.1093/biosci/biad080/7319571


Dear coral reef community,

The above link is to the Scientists Warning summary paper that everyone
should take the time to read as it directly impacts our work.  Alarming and
data based, my only criticism of the paper is that they neglected to
include the off-scale and devastating marine heat wave that the Caribbean
has experienced and that still continues in many areas.   Also, this global
heat wave is now shifting into the South Pacific, with record stress levels
and coral death already impacting the Gilbert Islands, Kiribati, and with
the heat now spreading towards Tuvalu and points South.

Tuvalu is the South Pacific region's last remaining coral reef which has
never experienced a condition-two bleaching event.  Staghorn Acropora
corals grow luxuriantly in great 2-3M tall thickets in the lagoons, and
other species have huge colony sizes.  But these amazing corals are now
very likely in their last weeks of life, as this heads towards them.  Based
on what just happened in the Caribbean, and with no model being able to
predict the 20-25 DHW that prevailed throughout the region, we assume that
Tuvalu is about to face what could amount to an extinction level event for
some coral species.

We are planning to go to Tuvalu next month to carry out some intensive
interventions to save as much as we can before the heat wave hits in force,
which can be found here:
https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/super-corals-for-reefs-of-hope-in-warming-oceans/


As we work to alert governments of the region we really could use some
summary reports on the devastation that the Caribbean has just faced, if
any might post that information.  This horrific tragedy must become our
"Lahaina moment" - our wake up call!  Sheltering in place and hoping for
the best is not an option.

But for this to become a wake up call for the planet, we need more
information, and the hard truth about % mortality, local level coral
species extinctions, etc. not only the few promising signs (although we
want to hear that too)!

Regards,

Austin

Austin Bowden-Kerby, PhD
Corals for Conservation, Fiji
https://www.corals4conservation.org <https://www.corals4conservation.org>
Publication: Coral-focused climate change adaptation strategies:
https://www.mdpi.com/2673-1924/4/1/2/pdf
Film "Reefs of Hope" adaptation Strategies:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BG0lqKciXAA