Caribbean Reef Coral Dying, Study Reports
- Share via
Coral reefs across the Caribbean have suffered an 80% decline in the amount covered by live coral during the last three decades, a far more devastating loss than scientists had expected, according to a study in Friday’s issue of Science. The team of researchers gathered information from 65 previous studies of 263 sites and analyzed it to construct a regional picture.
They discovered a sharp drop in the coral almost everywhere in the Caribbean, from Florida to South America. Coral covered about 50% of the average reef in the early 1970s but only 10% now. The researchers attributed the problem to pollution and over-fishing, among other problems.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
More From the Los Angeles Times
Podcasts
John Orr was a renowned fire investigator who was also a prolific arsonist, and whose thinly veiled novel helped to convict him. In this episode we hear from the fire captain who first suspected him—and from Orr himself.
Madison McGhee is joined by legendary Dateline host Josh Mankiewicz and esteemed L.A. Times Reporter Richard Winton as the three of them dive into all-things Menendez Brothers, the good, the bad, and the still unknown.
NPR climate editor Sadie Babits talks about why the media has long overlooked the climate crisis, and how that’s starting to change.
