In the news this week . . .

An article published in the Scotsman this week highlights the importance of Scotland's cold water coral resource. As outlined in the previous post, these deep water corals are highly vulnerable to disturbances and environmental change. A research team from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh is investigating the impact of ocean acidification on these ecosystems over the next few years through laboratory experiments and expeditions to the reefs.

The economic impacts of coral reef degradation was outlined in a Guardian article this week. It refers to the double blow currently being dealt to coral reefs from anthropogenic climate change and direct human impacts, such as damaging fishing activities, tourism and pollution.
 


The environmentalists favourite oil company Shell has been heavily crticised this week for planning an oil and gas drilling site thirty miles from the Ningaloo reef. Apparently the burning of fossil fuels isn't destroying coral reefs quick enough, so instead they have decided to take on a more direct approach.