The dramatic loss of coral drowns out worse worries for the...

“It’s one of the most exciting things about the reef. But while we lost an average of 50 percent, in some places we lost all of the coral and there is just nothing, ”said Professor Baird.

Like a reduction in trees in a forest, a decrease in coral numbers thins the reef’s canopy, which provides habitat for fish and other species vital to a living ecosystem, said Tom Bridge, Senior Research Fellow of the Center of Excellence .

“It’s not just that the corals themselves live, they also provide the structure and three-dimensional habitat that supports all of the other biodiversity that live in coral reefs,” said Dr. Bridge.

“When you see coral receding, you get feedback that leads to the loss of all other factors. One example is the schools of small fish that live around corals. When corals get too thin, they have to travel great distances from coral to coral and fall prey to predators. ”

Well-known forest ecologist David Lindenmayer explained the effects of losing keystone species such as ancient trees and corals from an ecosystem.

“It has a huge impact. With trees, these basic ecosystem services such as hollows for animals, a lot of pollen, nectar and carbon in the soil are lost that cannot be replaced even if smaller trees grow back, ”said Professor Lindenmayer.

Ocean heat waves are hotter and more frequent due to climate change. A run of clear days coincides with a rise in sea temperature, causing mass bleaching that bakes corals to death. Major bleaching events were recorded in 2016 and 2017, and others occurred earlier this year.

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Lead author of the Center of Excellence’s Coral Studies report, Andy Dietzel, said that despite the widespread loss in certain locations, visitors to the reef would be amazed at the colorful arrangements of marine life for years to come. But the pace of climate change would determine the fate of the reef for decades to come.

“I don’t think the tourism industry will run out of semi-healthy reef anytime soon,” said Dr. Dietzel. “There is hope that some coral species can adapt to heat stress. However, the current course of climate change is having an impact faster than expected and we are not sure if the corals can keep up with more extreme heat waves. ”

Professor Baird said while some species of fish may be able to migrate to deeper or southerly waters to survive, but “where it’s already bleached, the fish are gone forever”.