From icesheets to reefs

Did the West Antarctic Ice Sheet collapse the last time global temperatures were 1.5°C above preindustrial levels? Just ask an octopus.

"Coral reefs globally are under threat from the combined impacts of climate change and local anthropogenic stressors. Often, when corals die, macroalgae (seaweeds) rapidly take over, with corals struggling to regain dominance. Research at Magnetic Island has shown that a low-tech approach of “sea-weeding” (i.e. removing seaweed by hand) is effective in rehabilitating degraded, macroalgae-dominated reefs, having recorded a >600% increase in coral cover over 3 years. These results provide an exciting potential management approach, particularly for developing nations that may have limited budget, as it requires no expensive infrastructure, minimal training, and can be achieved through collective action via citizen science."