To the editor: Coral cowl on the Nice Barrier Reef has elevated, however that doesn’t imply scientists have been “crying wolf” about its well being (“The Great Barrier Reef refuses to die on schedule,” Sept. 6).
A lately burned forest the place younger bushes have regrown just isn’t equal to 1 stuffed with mature redwoods. The identical is true for reefs — weedy coral can shortly regrow following a disturbance, however slower-growing, huge species can not. The change in coral cowl appears like restoration even because the reef loses range, with penalties for fisheries and coastal protection.
Reef scientists make predictions primarily based on the information out there. I work on Caribbean reefs the place we noticed comparable fluctuations within the abundance of faster-growing, branching coral via the Nineteen Eighties till it flatlined. Weedier coral took over for a time, however even these species are actually in decline. Coral amount shouldn’t be mistaken for reef quality.
Carly Kenkel, Los Angeles
This author is an affiliate professor of marine and environmental biology on the USC Dornsife School of Letters, Arts & Sciences.
