The Great Barrier Reef is one of the natural wonders of the world, located off the coast of Queensland, Australia. This beauty consists of over 3000 individual reef systems, coral cays, and hundreds of “picturesque tropical islands.”  Unfortunately, this Australian treasure is being destroyed at its worst in the last 39 years. However, according to research at CSIRO, it is possible to preserve the Great Barrier Reef for at least another 55 years.

The coral in the Great Barrier Reef is in great danger due to bleaching. This damage occurs when heat stress makes coral polyps force out their Zooxanthellae algae. Zooxanthellae alga works with the photosynthesis process to provide the coral with the energy that it needs to strive. As a result of climate change, coral bleaching has occurred more frequently in the past 39 years.

Although this disaster is occurring more rapidly, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO),  has discovered that reefs located in the far north and south are escaping severe bleaching, while other neighbouring reefs suffer. After conducting research on the reefs, CSIRO has concluded that reefs located in upwelling cold waters are safe from bleaching. Upwelling describes “where cooler waters from the deep mix with warm surface waters”. Reefs located on the Eastern Australian continental shelf experience most of the upwelling, making this area the perfect refuge for the at-risk coral. CSIRO detected this refuge and others using satellite temperature maps and ocean models. “We ran these models forward in time,” says CSIRO. With the hopes of discovering that the currents of cool water will continue into the 2050’s, they exposed that these essential currents would remain until at least 2080.

“The Great Barrier Reef is far more than a colourful tourist attraction,” says Sight Seeing Tours Australia. The reef provides so much for the Australian economy, environment, and communities, the coral is even used to create life-changing medicines. As a nation, Australia is determined to preserve this important natural environment, and it all starts with research. CSIRO, along with other scientific agencies, continues to collect new information and data that will help find ways to preserve the Great Barrier Reef for as long as possible.