Third mass bleaching of Great Barrier Reef recorded
Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Conservation; Environment
In News:
Australia’s Great Barrier Reef has suffered its most widespread coral bleaching on record.
Record sea temperatures caused the third mass bleaching of the 2,300-kilometre reef system in just five years.
Key takeaways:
For the first time, severe bleaching has struck all three regions of the Great Barrier Reef — the northern, central and now large parts of the southern sectors.
The damage came as February brought the highest monthly sea temperatures on the Great Barrier Reef since Australia began keeping records in 1900.
Important value additions:
Bleaching
Bleaching occurs when healthy corals become stressed by changes in oceantemperatures, causing them to expel algae living in their tissues which drains them of their vibrant colours.
Bleaching was first seen on the reef in 1998 — at the time, the hottest year on record — but as temperature records continue to tumble its frequency has increased, giving coral less time to recover.
Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 8th April 2020
The World health day 2020 was celebrated recently with the theme of supporting nurses and midwives.
The World Health Day is a global health awareness day celebrated every year on 7 April, under the sponsorship of the World Health Organization (WHO).
WHO chose the year 2020 as the “Year of the Nurse and Midwife” because of the contribution made by nurses and midwives in making the world a healthier place.
