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Tools and fire were probably just extremely fortunate means to an end for ancient humans. But as hammerstones evolved to AIs and bullet trains, we were somehow left cleaning up our mess from even the "pristine" expanses of space and the deep ocean. But as our influence gradually leeches over more and more of the planet, the list of things left unharmed also continues to shorten every day. In a groundbreaking study, researchers have uncovered an alarming revelation — the deepest evidence of coral bleaching at depths previously deemed "untouchable" by <keyword id="6366055" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="global-warming" source="Orion">global warming</keyword>! The team found that up to 80% of certain reef areas 90 metres below the <keyword id="12350" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="indian-ocean" source="Orion">Indian Ocean</keyword> were affected, likely due to an unprecedented 30% rise in the region's sea temperatures. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Trouble deepens for marine ecology" comment="subhead" text="Trouble deepens for marine ecology">Trouble deepens for <keyword id="53136" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="marine" source="Orion">marine</keyword> ecology</cmsannotation> In recent years, 75% of the world’s tropical coral reefs have experienced bleaching due to increased heat stress. Scientists estimate that 70–90% of the reefs will be lost with a 1.5 °C <keyword id="6366055" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="global-warming" source="Orion">global warming</keyword> while almost all of them would be bleached out if the temperatures increase beyond 2 °C. But most of these impacts have always been thought to be restricted to shallower regions. The recent study, published in the reputed scientific journal Nature, presents one of the first evidence of coral bleaching in deeper coral reefs. The team attributed this spike in temperatures to the positive state of the <keyword id="12350" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="indian-ocean" source="Orion">Indian Ocean</keyword> Dipole (<keyword id="1708716" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="iod" source="Orion">IOD</keyword>) in 2019. The <keyword id="1708716" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="iod" source="Orion">IOD</keyword> refers to a temperature gradient between the eastern and western parts of the Indian Ocean. A positive IOD — often associated with the El Niño phase over the Pacific Ocean — means warmer than normal water in the western parts and it helps enhance the monsoon rainfall across India. Even this year, the same phenomenon has helped offset the impact of the current El Niño phase and prevent a full-blown drought in India. However, the growing intensity and frequency of positive IOD events may have spelt disaster for our deep corals! "There are no two ways about it; this is a huge surprise," remarks Dr Phil Hosegood, the project lead. "Deeper corals had always been thought of as being resilient to ocean warming because the waters they inhabit are cooler than at the surface and were believed to remain relatively stable." Being a reservoir of rich <keyword id="53136" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="marine" source="Orion">marine</keyword> biodiversity, they support an estimated 25% of known marine species! Bleaching represents a break in the symbiotic relationship between the corals and the vibrant algae, limiting their ability to support numerous marine species. Therefore, such events can spell doom for the entire marine ecosystem of the region. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Unprecedented ocean warming to blame" comment="subhead" text="Unprecedented ocean warming to blame">Unprecedented ocean warming to blame</cmsannotation> The first evidence of coral damage was observed during a research cruise in November 2019 when remotely operated underwater vehicles equipped with cameras transmitted live images of the bleached corals. Ironically enough, no observable harm was evident in the region's shallow water reefs. Subsequent analysis revealed that a deepening thermocline, driven by a positive IOD (regional equivalent of El Niño), caused the bleaching in deeper reefs. In simpler words, while the temperature at the ocean's surface stalled, mercury levels beneath the surface sneakily jumped seven massive notches from 22-29°C — too much for most organisms to adapt to in such a short span of time. Scientists have always expected such deep water corals — spanning depths between 30-150 metres under the surface — to pick up the ecological slack as shallower reefs die out. But this new finding shows they might be just as vulnerable to bleaching. The fact that they remain so painfully understudied, mainly due to the complexity of deep ocean exploration, only adds to the worrisome uncertainty. Fortunately, however, the team also noticed that many large swaths of the reef managed to recover when they went back for expeditions in 2020 and 2022. However, this does mean we're out of hot water yet, the authors warned. With the oceans warmer than they’ve ever been, another ongoing positive IOD phase and a “super strong” El Niño on the cards, conditions could worsen for the Indian Ocean reefs once again. "While there is no way we can stop the thermocline from deepening, what we can do is expand our understanding of the impacts that these changes will have throughout these environments of which we have so little knowledge. In the face of fast-paced global change, that has never been more urgent," explains Dr Hosegood. The findings of this research have been published in Nature Communications and can be accessed <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-42279-2" data-type="tilCustomLink">here</a>.

“Untouchable” coral reefs in the deep Indian Ocean waters faced bleaching after 2019 warming, study finds

Above-normal rainfall is expected during the 2024 southwest <keyword id="6358301" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="monsoon" source="Orion">monsoon</keyword> season over most parts of <keyword id="19897710" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="south-Asia" source="keywords">south Asia</keyword>, the South Asian <keyword id="21481676" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="climate-outlook" source="keywords">Climate Outlook</keyword> Forum said on Tuesday. The forecast follows the prediction of above-normal rain in the monsoon season in <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India" source="keywords">India</keyword> on the back of favourable <keyword id="20146476" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="La-Nina" source="keywords">La Nina</keyword> conditions, expected to set in by August-September. "Above normal rainfall is most likely during the 2024 southwest monsoon season (June-September) over most parts of south Asia, except some areas over northern, eastern, and northeastern parts of the region, where below-normal rainfall is most likely," the South Asian Climate Outlook Forum (SASCOF) said. Above-normal maximum and minimum temperatures are predicted over most parts of south Asia during the season, except a few areas over the southeastern part of the region where normal temperatures are most likely. This regional climate outlook for the 2024 southwest monsoon season has been developed by all nine National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) of south Asia with support from international experts at the 28th session of SASCOF-28, conducted online. SASCOF said moderate <keyword id="19949878" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="El-Nino" source="keywords">El Nino</keyword> conditions are prevailing at present. ENSO (El Nino-Southern Oscillation) neutral conditions are expected in the first half of the monsoon season. Thereafter, La Nina conditions may set in by the second half. El Nino conditions -- periodic warming of surface waters in the central Pacific Ocean -- are associated with weaker monsoon winds and drier conditions in India. La Nina conditions -- the antithesis of El Nino -- are the dominant factor in the likelihood of "above-normal" rainfall during the monsoon season, DS Pai, a senior scientist at the India Meteorological Department (IMD), told PTI. Positive Indian Ocean Dipole conditions, favourable for the Indian monsoon, are predicted in the later part of the season. Additionally, the snow cover in the northern hemisphere is low. The northern hemisphere winter and spring snow cover extent generally have an inverse relationship with the subsequent southwest <keyword id="20575709" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="monsoon-rainfall" source="keywords">monsoon rainfall</keyword> over south Asia. Earlier this month, the IMD said the seasonal rainfall in India will be on the higher side of 'above-normal' and pegged it at 106 per cent of the long-period average (87 cm). SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/mahindra-xuv-3xo-compact-suv-launched-in-india-starting-at-7-49-lakh/slidelist/109715525.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/mahindra-xuv-3xo-compact-suv-launched-in-india-starting-at-7-49-lakh/slidelist/109715525.cms" target="_blank">Mahindra XUV 3XO compact SUV launched in India starting at ₹7.49 lakh</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/upcoming-cars-and-two-wheelers-launching-in-india-in-may-2024/slidelist/109723620.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/upcoming-cars-and-two-wheelers-launching-in-india-in-may-2024/slidelist/109723620.cms" target="_blank">Upcoming cars and two-wheelers launching in India in May 2024</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/upcoming-smartphones-launching-in-india-in-may-2024/slidelist/109682003.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/upcoming-smartphones-launching-in-india-in-may-2024/slidelist/109682003.cms" target="_blank">Upcoming smartphones launching in India in May 2024</a>

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“Untouchable” coral reefs in the deep Indian Ocean waters faced bleaching after 2019 warming, study finds

Ankush Banerjee

Above-normal monsoon rainfall predicted in south Asia

PTI

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