Scientists develop sun shields to prevent coral bleaching

A group of scientists has developed the "sun shield" they hope to help prevent coral bleaching, spreading throughout the Great Barrier Reef in Australia in 2016 and 2017, the Great Barrier Reef Foundation (GBRF) said.

"This solar shield is made from film that can be bio-dispersed, very small, 50,000 times thinner than human hair and contains calcium carbonate and a component similar to a coral for framing." - Efe quoted GBRF's words.

Foundation, which has partnered with the University of Melbourne and the Australian Maritime Science Institute (AIMS) said: "The shield is designed to cover the surface of the water above the coral, rather than directly covering the coral, to create barriers to effective sunshine ".

Sponsored by The Tiffany & Co. Foundation, the project is still in its early stages and has been tested in a number of small-scale studies, but the team has demonstrated that this shield can reduce sunlight up to 30% but does not cause any destruction on corals.

The chief executive of the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, Anna Marsden said: "Scientists tested the effect of this shield on seven different corals under conditions that create simulated bleaching at AIMS National. Sea Simulator (SeaSim) ".

The project is also designed to explore new ways to reduce the impact of coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest coral system.

"The important thing to note here is not an applicable solution on the entire 348,000 square kilometers of the Great Barrier Reef - this is impractical. But it can be deployed on a small level. more to protect high-value or endangered corals, "said Marsden.

According to James Cook University's Center of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies Research, coral bleaching has never been seen in 2016 and 2017, damaging about 1,500 kilometers of the Great Barrier Reef, about two third of the total.

The Great Barrier Reef is a UNESCO heritage site, it is home to more than 400 types of corals, 1,500 fish species and 4,000 krill species. But its "health" began to decline in the 1990s under the dual effects of rising seawater status and increased acidity due to the emergence of more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.