Southern corals unlock climate clues
While great attention is being given to the threat of global warming to corals of the Great Barrier Reef, the corals off southern Australia are giving scientists information about climate change.
As divers and fishermen in southern waters know well, corals are not restricted to tropical waters.
The most obvious of the southern versions occur in large boulder-like formations known in South Australia as bommies.
They are now throwing new light on the history of Australia's southern oceans, revealing details of past climates and the human impact on the sea.
Sam Burgess of the Australian National University and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, is completing a PhD on these little-known South Australian corals, proving their importance to issues of climate change and ocean health.
"Most people are surprised to learn that there are large corals in these colder waters," Ms Burgess said.
"They think corals only occur in the warmer waters of the tropics."story continued
As divers and fishermen in southern waters know well, corals are not restricted to tropical waters.
The most obvious of the southern versions occur in large boulder-like formations known in South Australia as bommies.
They are now throwing new light on the history of Australia's southern oceans, revealing details of past climates and the human impact on the sea.
Sam Burgess of the Australian National University and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, is completing a PhD on these little-known South Australian corals, proving their importance to issues of climate change and ocean health.
"Most people are surprised to learn that there are large corals in these colder waters," Ms Burgess said.
"They think corals only occur in the warmer waters of the tropics."story continued
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