News > Then and now: Rising temperatures threaten corals
Then and now: Rising temperatures threaten corals
07/04/2021 08:53 AM | Click to read full article
Corals can't tolerate very high temperatures, so as ocean water warms, they effectively become "sick". Thermal stress of this kind can lead to the coral becoming bleached, meaning they lose their striking colours and turn white or very pale.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) says that the temperature increase in the oceans as a result of climate change is the main cause of bleaching.