Qld: Reef suffers double whammy
The Great Barrier Reef is suffering a destructive double whammy, with another Crownof Thorns plague coming on top of severe coral bleaching.
The Australian Institute of Marine Science says there's been an outbreak of the reef-eatingCrown of Thorns starfish north of Townsville.
It says there's still not enough research to tell whether nutrient and sediment run-offfrom the land is making the plagues worse by increasing the number of algal blooms whichfeed the starfish.
Meanwhile, a heat wave over summer has caused severe coral bleaching on the reef, whichsome scientists fear could be worse than the devastating bleaching event of 1998.
Bleaching is brought on by unusually high water temperatures, which cause coral tolose its energy-giving algae, turn white and, in some cases, to die.
Australian Democrats environment spokesman ANDREW BARTLETT says the Great Barrier ReefMarine Park Authority should be given more power and resources to protect the reef.
AAP RTV jb/sc/ge/rp
KEYWORD: REEF (TOWNSVILLE)
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