Ultra-thin sun shield could protect Great Barrier Reef

An ultra-fine biodegradable film some 50,000 times thinner than a human hair could be enlisted to protect the Great Barrier Reef from environmental degradation, researchers said Tuesday.

The World Heritage-listed site, which attracts millions of tourists each year, is reeling from significant bouts of coral bleaching due to warming sea temperatures linked to climate change.

Scientists from the Australian Institute of Marine Biology have been buoyed by test results of a floating "sun shield" made of calcium carbonate that has been shown to protect the reef from the effects of bleaching.

"It's designed to sit on the surface of the water above the corals, rather than directly on the corals, to provide an effective barrier against the sun," Great Barrier Reef Foundation managing director Anna Marsden said.

The trials on seven different coral types found that the protective layer decreased bleaching of most species, cutting off sunlight by up to 30 percent.

"It (the project) created an opportunity to test the idea that by reducing the amount of sunlight from reaching the corals in the first place, we can prevent them from becoming stressed which leads to bleaching," Marsden said.

Researchers from a breadth of disciplines contributed to the project, which was headed by the scientist who developed the country's polymer bank notes.

"In this case, we had chemical engineers and experts in polymer science working with marine ecologists and coral experts to bring this innovation to life," Marsden said.

With its heavy use of coal-fired power and relatively small population, Australia is considered one of the world's worst per capita greenhouse gas polluters, with advocates urging Canberra to do more to protect the environment.

The reef is also under threat from predatory coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish, as well as farming run off.

Marsden said it was impractical to suggest that the "sun shield" -- made from the same material found in coral skeletons -- could cover the entire 348,000 square-kilometre (216,000 square-mile) reef.

"But it could be deployed on a smaller, local level to protect high-value or high-risk areas of reef," she added.

"The concept needs more work and testing before it gets to that stage, but it's an exciting development at a time when we need to explore all possible options to ensure we have a Great Barrier Reef for future generations."

Hard corals, also called reef-building corals, produce a rock-like skeleton made of the same material as classroom chalk -- calcium carbonate. Soft corals produce smaller amounts of calcium carbonate.

A report last year from Deloitte Access Economics valued the Great Barrier Reef as an asset worth Aus$56 billion (US$43 billion), which included its tourism revenues and indirect value for people who have not yet visited the site but know it exists.

Related Links
Water News - Science, Technology and Politics

Tweet

Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.

SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly

paypal only

SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once

credit card or paypal

Key biological mechanism is disrupted by ocean acidification
San Diego CA (SPX) Mar 21, 2018
A team led by scientists from Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego and the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI) has demonstrated that the excess carbon dioxide added to the atmosphere through the combustion of fossil fuels interferes with the health of phytoplankton which form the base of marine food webs. Phytoplankton are microscopic plants whose growth in ocean surface waters supports ocean food webs and global marine fisheries. They are also key agents in t ... read more