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Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
An explosion of sea urchins threatens to push coral reefs in Hawaii ‘past the point of recovery'
The turquoise water of Hōnaunau Bay in Hawaii, an area popular with snorkelers and divers, is teeming with spiny creatures that threaten to push the coral reef 'past the point of recovery,' new research has found. Sea urchin numbers here are exploding as the fish species that typically keep their populations in check decline due to overfishing, according to the study, published last month in the journal PLOS ONE. It's yet another blow to a reef already suffering damage from pollution as well as climate change-driven ocean heat waves and sea level rise. Kelly J. van Woesik, a researcher at the North Carolina State University Center for Geospatial Analytics and a study author, first noticed unusually high numbers of sea urchins on snorkeling trips. 'I knew there was a story to be told,' she said. She and her fellow researchers used data from scuba surveys and images taken from the air to track the health of the reef. 'We found on average 51 urchins per square meter, which is among the highest recorded densities on coral reefs anywhere in the world,' van Woesik said. Sea urchins are small marine invertebrates, characterized by their spiny bodies and found in oceans around the world. They play a useful role in preventing algae overgrowth, which can choke off oxygen to coral. However, they also eat the reef and too many of them can cause damaging erosion. In Hōnaunau Bay, the coral is already struggling to reproduce and grow due to ocean heat and water pollution, leaving it even more vulnerable to the erosion inflicted by sea urchins. Its rate of growth has plummeted according to the study. Reef growth is typically measured by the amount of calcium carbonate — the substance which forms coral skeletons — it produces per square meter each year. The reef in Hōnaunau Bay is growing 30 times more slowly than it did four decades ago, according to the study. Production levels were around 15 kilograms (33 pounds) per square meter in parts of Hawaii, signaling a healthy reef, according to research in the 1980s. Today, the reef in Hōnaunau Bay produces just 0.5 kg (1.1 pounds) per square meter. To offset erosion from urchins, at least 26% of the reef surface must be covered by living corals – and even more coral cover is necessary for it to grow. Gregory Asner, an ecologist at Arizona State University and study author, said what was happening in this part of Hawaii was emblematic of the mounting pressures facing reefs throughout the region. 'For 27 years I have worked in Hōnaunau Bay and other bays like it across Hawaii, but Hōnaunau stood out early on as an iconic example of a reef threatened by a combination of pressures,' he said, citing warming ocean temperatures, pollution from tourism and heavy fishing. The implications of coral decline are far-reaching. Coral reefs are sometimes dubbed the 'rainforests of the sea' because they support so much ocean life. They also play a vital role protecting coastlines from storm surges and erosion. 'If the reef can't keep up with sea-level rise, it loses its ability to limit incoming wave energy,' said van Woesik. 'That increases erosion and flooding risk of coastal communities.' Kiho Kim, an environmental science professor at American University, who was not involved in the study, said the findings highlight the fragility of reef ecosystems under stress. 'Dramatic increases in any species indicate an unusual condition that has allowed them to proliferate,' Kim said. That imbalance can undermine diversity and reduce the reef's ability to provide essential ecosystem services including food security and carbon storage, he told CNN. Despite the challenges, researchers emphasize that the reef's future is not sealed. Local groups in Hōnaunau are working to reduce fishing pressure, improve water quality and support coral restoration. 'These reefs are essential to protecting the islands they surround,' van Woesik said. 'Without action taken now, we risk allowing these reefs to erode past the point of no return.'
CTV News
15 hours ago
- Science
- CTV News
An explosion of sea urchins threatens to push coral reefs in Hawaii ‘past the point of recovery'
Expanding numbers of sea urchins threaten the population of coral reefs in Hawaii, research says. (Pexels/Kindel Media) The turquoise water of Hōnaunau Bay in Hawaii, an area popular with snorkelers and divers, is teeming with spiny creatures that threaten to push the coral reef 'past the point of recovery,' new research has found. Sea urchin numbers here are exploding as the fish species that typically keep their populations in check decline due to overfishing, according to the study, published last month in the journal PLOS ONE. It's yet another blow to a reef already suffering damage from pollution as well as climate change-driven ocean heat waves and sea level rise. Kelly J. van Woesik, a researcher at the North Carolina State University Center for Geospatial Analytics and a study author, first noticed unusually high numbers of sea urchins on snorkeling trips. 'I knew there was a story to be told,' she said. She and her fellow researchers used data from scuba surveys and images taken from the air to track the health of the reef. 'We found on average 51 urchins per square metre, which is among the highest recorded densities on coral reefs anywhere in the world,' van Woesik said. Sea urchins are small marine invertebrates, characterized by their spiny bodies and found in oceans around the world. They play a useful role in preventing algae overgrowth, which can choke off oxygen to coral. However, they also eat the reef and too many of them can cause damaging erosion. In Hōnaunau Bay, the coral is already struggling to reproduce and grow due to ocean heat and water pollution, leaving it even more vulnerable to the erosion inflicted by sea urchins. Its rate of growth has plummeted according to the study. Reef growth is typically measured by the amount of calcium carbonate — the substance which forms coral skeletons — it produces per square metre each year. The reef in Hōnaunau Bay is growing 30 times more slowly than it did four decades ago, according to the study. Production levels were around 15 kilograms (33 pounds) per square in parts of Hawaii, signaling a healthy reef, according to research in the 1980s. Today, the reef in Hōnaunau Bay produces just 0.5 kilograms (1.1 pounds) per square metre. To offset erosion from urchins, at least 26 per cent of the reef surface must be covered by living corals – and even more coral cover is necessary for it to grow. Gregory Asner, an ecologist at Arizona State University and study author, said what was happening in this part of Hawaii was emblematic of the mounting pressures facing reefs throughout the region. 'For 27 years I have worked in Hōnaunau Bay and other bays like it across Hawaii, but Hōnaunau stood out early on as an iconic example of a reef threatened by a combination of pressures,' he said, citing warming ocean temperatures, pollution from tourism and heavy fishing. The implications of coral decline are far-reaching. Coral reefs are sometimes dubbed the 'rainforests of the sea' because they support so much ocean life. They also play a vital role protecting coastlines from storm surges and erosion. 'If the reef can't keep up with sea-level rise, it loses its ability to limit incoming wave energy,' said van Woesik. 'That increases erosion and flooding risk of coastal communities.' Kiho Kim, an environmental science professor at American University, who was not involved in the study, said the findings highlight the fragility of reef ecosystems under stress. 'Dramatic increases in any species indicate an unusual condition that has allowed them to proliferate,' Kim said. That imbalance can undermine diversity and reduce the reef's ability to provide essential ecosystem services including food security and carbon storage, he told CNN. Despite the challenges, researchers emphasize that the reef's future is not sealed. Local groups in Hōnaunau are working to reduce fishing pressure, improve water quality and support coral restoration. 'These reefs are essential to protecting the islands they surround,' van Woesik said. 'Without action taken now, we risk allowing these reefs to erode past the point of no return.' By Isabelle Rodney.
CNN
17 hours ago
- Science
- CNN
An explosion of sea urchins threatens to push coral reefs in Hawaii ‘past the point of recovery'
The turquoise water of Hōnaunau Bay in Hawaii, an area popular with snorkelers and divers, is teeming with spiny creatures that threaten to push the coral reef 'past the point of recovery,' new research has found. Sea urchin numbers here are exploding as the fish species that typically keep their populations in check decline due to overfishing, according to the study, published last month in the journal PLOS ONE. It's yet another blow to a reef already suffering damage from pollution as well as climate change-driven ocean heat waves and sea level rise. Kelly J. van Woesik, a researcher at the North Carolina State University Center for Geospatial Analytics and a study author, first noticed unusually high numbers of sea urchins on snorkeling trips. 'I knew there was a story to be told,' she said. She and her fellow researchers used data from scuba surveys and images taken from the air to track the health of the reef. 'We found on average 51 urchins per square meter, which is among the highest recorded densities on coral reefs anywhere in the world,' van Woesik said. Sea urchins are small marine invertebrates, characterized by their spiny bodies and found in oceans around the world. They play a useful role in preventing algae overgrowth, which can choke off oxygen to coral. However, they also eat the reef and too many of them can cause damaging erosion. In Hōnaunau Bay, the coral is already struggling to reproduce and grow due to ocean heat and water pollution, leaving it even more vulnerable to the erosion inflicted by sea urchins. Its rate of growth has plummeted according to the study. Reef growth is typically measured by the amount of calcium carbonate — the substance which forms coral skeletons — it produces per square meter each year. The reef in Hōnaunau Bay is growing 30 times more slowly than it did four decades ago, according to the study. Production levels were around 15 kilograms (33 pounds) per square meter in parts of Hawaii, signaling a healthy reef, according to research in the 1980s. Today, the reef in Hōnaunau Bay produces just 0.5 kg (1.1 pounds) per square meter. To offset erosion from urchins, at least 26% of the reef surface must be covered by living corals – and even more coral cover is necessary for it to grow. Gregory Asner, an ecologist at Arizona State University and study author, said what was happening in this part of Hawaii was emblematic of the mounting pressures facing reefs throughout the region. 'For 27 years I have worked in Hōnaunau Bay and other bays like it across Hawaii, but Hōnaunau stood out early on as an iconic example of a reef threatened by a combination of pressures,' he said, citing warming ocean temperatures, pollution from tourism and heavy fishing. The implications of coral decline are far-reaching. Coral reefs are sometimes dubbed the 'rainforests of the sea' because they support so much ocean life. They also play a vital role protecting coastlines from storm surges and erosion. 'If the reef can't keep up with sea-level rise, it loses its ability to limit incoming wave energy,' said van Woesik. 'That increases erosion and flooding risk of coastal communities.' Kiho Kim, an environmental science professor at American University, who was not involved in the study, said the findings highlight the fragility of reef ecosystems under stress. 'Dramatic increases in any species indicate an unusual condition that has allowed them to proliferate,' Kim said. That imbalance can undermine diversity and reduce the reef's ability to provide essential ecosystem services including food security and carbon storage, he told CNN. Despite the challenges, researchers emphasize that the reef's future is not sealed. Local groups in Hōnaunau are working to reduce fishing pressure, improve water quality and support coral restoration. 'These reefs are essential to protecting the islands they surround,' van Woesik said. 'Without action taken now, we risk allowing these reefs to erode past the point of no return.'
CNN
17 hours ago
- Science
- CNN
An explosion of sea urchins threatens to push coral reefs in Hawaii ‘past the point of recovery'
Animal stories Climate changeFacebookTweetLink Follow The turquoise water of Hōnaunau Bay in Hawaii, an area popular with snorkelers and divers, is teeming with spiny creatures that threaten to push the coral reef 'past the point of recovery,' new research has found. Sea urchin numbers here are exploding as the fish species that typically keep their populations in check decline due to overfishing, according to the study, published last month in the journal PLOS ONE. It's yet another blow to a reef already suffering damage from pollution as well as climate change-driven ocean heat waves and sea level rise. Kelly J. van Woesik, a researcher at the North Carolina State University Center for Geospatial Analytics and a study author, first noticed unusually high numbers of sea urchins on snorkeling trips. 'I knew there was a story to be told,' she said. She and her fellow researchers used data from scuba surveys and images taken from the air to track the health of the reef. 'We found on average 51 urchins per square meter, which is among the highest recorded densities on coral reefs anywhere in the world,' van Woesik said. Sea urchins are small marine invertebrates, characterized by their spiny bodies and found in oceans around the world. They play a useful role in preventing algae overgrowth, which can choke off oxygen to coral. However, they also eat the reef and too many of them can cause damaging erosion. In Hōnaunau Bay, the coral is already struggling to reproduce and grow due to ocean heat and water pollution, leaving it even more vulnerable to the erosion inflicted by sea urchins. Its rate of growth has plummeted according to the study. Reef growth is typically measured by the amount of calcium carbonate — the substance which forms coral skeletons — it produces per square meter each year. The reef in Hōnaunau Bay is growing 30 times more slowly than it did four decades ago, according to the study. Production levels were around 15 kilograms (33 pounds) per square meter in parts of Hawaii, signaling a healthy reef, according to research in the 1980s. Today, the reef in Hōnaunau Bay produces just 0.5 kg (1.1 pounds) per square meter. To offset erosion from urchins, at least 26% of the reef surface must be covered by living corals – and even more coral cover is necessary for it to grow. Gregory Asner, an ecologist at Arizona State University and study author, said what was happening in this part of Hawaii was emblematic of the mounting pressures facing reefs throughout the region. 'For 27 years I have worked in Hōnaunau Bay and other bays like it across Hawaii, but Hōnaunau stood out early on as an iconic example of a reef threatened by a combination of pressures,' he said, citing warming ocean temperatures, pollution from tourism and heavy fishing. The implications of coral decline are far-reaching. Coral reefs are sometimes dubbed the 'rainforests of the sea' because they support so much ocean life. They also play a vital role protecting coastlines from storm surges and erosion. 'If the reef can't keep up with sea-level rise, it loses its ability to limit incoming wave energy,' said van Woesik. 'That increases erosion and flooding risk of coastal communities.' Kiho Kim, an environmental science professor at American University, who was not involved in the study, said the findings highlight the fragility of reef ecosystems under stress. 'Dramatic increases in any species indicate an unusual condition that has allowed them to proliferate,' Kim said. That imbalance can undermine diversity and reduce the reef's ability to provide essential ecosystem services including food security and carbon storage, he told CNN. Despite the challenges, researchers emphasize that the reef's future is not sealed. Local groups in Hōnaunau are working to reduce fishing pressure, improve water quality and support coral restoration. 'These reefs are essential to protecting the islands they surround,' van Woesik said. 'Without action taken now, we risk allowing these reefs to erode past the point of no return.'
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Increased Toxicity Risk Identified For Children With ADHD, Autism
The number of people being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has risen sharply in recent decades, and research continues to look at factors involved in these conditions. A study published in 2023 revealed there's a difference in how children with autism or ADHD clear the common plastic compound bisphenol A (BPA), compared to neurotypical children. BPA is used in a lot of plastics and plastic production processes, and can also be found inside food and drink cans. However, previous research has also linked it to health issues involving hormone disruption, including breast cancer and infertility. Researchers from Rowan University and Rutgers University in the US looked at three groups of children: 66 with autism, 46 with ADHD, and 37 neurotypical kids. In particular, they analyzed the process of glucuronidation, a chemical process the body uses to clear out toxins within the blood through urine. They found that kids with ASD and ADHD couldn't clear out BPA and another similar compound called diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) with as much efficiency as other kids, potentially leading to longer exposure to their toxic effects. "Detoxification of these two plasticizers is compromised in children with ASD and ADHD," wrote the researchers in their published paper. "Consequently, their tissues are more exposed to these two plasticizers." It was only in the case of BPA that the difference was statistically significant though: the efficiency was reduced by about 11 percent for kids with ASD and 17 percent for kids with ADHD, compared with the control group of children. The researchers think that gene mutations in certain individuals mean that BPA can't be cleared as well as it needs to be, which means the substance sticks around in the body. That potentially could cause damage in terms of neuron development and operation. Conditions like ASD and ADHD are thought to involve a combination of genetic and environmental influences, and this new study brings together both of them. However, it's only part of the story – not every child with a neurodevelopmental disorder had problems flushing out BPA, so there are other factors at play, too. Work is continuing to identify how exactly ASD and ADHD develop in people – whether it's in utero before birth for example, or later on in life – as the data isn't enough to show whether BPA exposure causes either disorder. "There is an extensive body of epidemiological evidence for a relationship between neurodevelopmental disorders and environmental pollutants such as plasticizers," the researchers wrote. "How important plasticizer originated neurodevelopmental disorder is in the overall occurrence of these disorders is not known, but it must account for a significant proportion or would not have been so easy to detect in a metabolic study of moderate size such as this study." The research was published in PLOS ONE. A version of this article was first published in October 2023. Coffee Could Be The Secret to Healthy Aging For Women, Scientists Discover Texas Woman Dies From Brain-Eating Amoeba After Flushing Sinuses Menopause Drug Reduces Breast Cancer Growth In Clinical Trial
