Scientists find a massive coral reef just chilling in the Amazon

I came across this today and wanted to share, as I was reminded of the thread created a day or two ago that talked about the massive Great Barrier Reef bleaching.


Link to source article.
Link to Research Article

Satellite images of the mouth of the Amazon show brick-red tendrils of water spilling into the deep blue of the Atlantic. The sediment-laden freshwater billows and plumes in the salty ocean.

But up close, this place is muddy and opaque, the water darkened by sediments picked up during the river's nearly 4,000-mile journey across the continent. It's an unlikely home for coral — a famously fragile form of life.

Further:

Yager helped the fellow researcher, Rodrigo Moura of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, get the equipment he needed to dredge the sea floor. What he pulled up astonished them both: vibrant corals, brittle stars, sponges, spiny lobsters and an array of fish. The find . . . covers about 3,700 square miles off the coasts of French Guiana and northern Brazil — all where scientists had assumed corals just couldn't grow.

Not that I like the idea of dredging the sea floor only to realize, "Whoops, there *IS* a lot of fragile stuff down there!", But this is pretty amazing, actually. I'd never heard about the possibility that there might be a reef of that size, and the fact of the conditions under which it could thrive are so unlike others, which proves just how biologically diverse the earth truly is, and what am amazing place it is and what it's capable of as an organism, when we find organisms growing—or even thriving, sometimes—in places that we, as humans, wouldn't think.

And now we have the possibility of a number of new species of ocean life:

All told, the researchers in Brazil found 61 species of sponge, 73 types of fish, 35 species of algae, 26 soft corals, 12 stony corals and more. Dozens of those are thought to be previously undiscovered species.

Unfortunately, we have exploratory drilling and an increasing amount of fishing moving into the region, which further threatens the future of this environment.

But the mouth of the Amazon is likely to become even less hospitable to sun-seeking marine life . . .

“In the past decade, a total of 80 exploratory blocks have been acquired for oil drilling in the study region, 20 of which are already producing,” the study authors wrote. “... Such large-scale industrial activities present a major environmental challenge."

Alas, it seems like human beings are pretty much a threat to everything on this earth.

Anyway, Enjoy!

a reply to: Liquesence

I'd rather people starve jobless than any more damage be done to the Amazon. Easy to say sat here at home, but I stick by it.

edit: (kinda o/t)

Can we not just plant trees absolutely everywhere?

Would it be that hard?

Trees basically convert sunlight into resources and clear the air. Some trees produce food. Good food.

Is there actually a problem with planting trees everywhere?

Wouldn't that fix a lot of our problems?

All told, the researchers in Brazil found 61 species of sponge, 73 types of fish, 35 species of algae, 26 soft corals, 12 stony corals and more. Dozens of those are thought to be previously undiscovered species.

That is some weird wild stuff! Pretty rad! Thanks for the post!

I was reading this earlier today and that whole business where oil is being produced where the coral is located. The companies had to have discovered it a while back, but just kept their mouths shut to make money.

a reply to: Liquesence

Not to worry OP because the UN is working to put it all under protection for the Corporations .They will be sure to keep it safe for us plebs .....not

Spiro Skouras joins us today to discuss his recent expose on the UN's Agenda 2030 global goals, its oiligarch and billionaire backers, and the attempt to take over the world's oceans. From "no go zones" and hydrocarbon rights to the shady characters and groups that are funding this resource grab, you won't want to miss this informative interview.

a reply to: BelowLowAnnouncement

While planting trees is definitely a good thing, even they won't really help if the ocean dies, or becomes disrupted enough.

Screw these bastards ruining nature. All for oil. Because they have us all using the exact same engine invented 100 years ago. What a joke.

a reply to: BelowLowAnnouncement

Should be pretty obvious that the retards (psychopaths whom governments love and cherish for their ability to do dirty work all day long) running the planet want to crash the earths webs of life and human society with it so as to present a final choice: join us now or face your extinction.

originally posted by: Liquesence
a reply to: BelowLowAnnouncement

While planting trees is definitely a good thing, even they won't really help if the ocean dies, or becomes disrupted enough.

I know but we could have new Amazon size forest crop up every couple of centuries, two or three more of those babies would sure help protect against the carbon problem, rising temperatures and unpredictable weathers now and into the future. They could even plant them along the edge of deserts to stop further desertification. It just seems in every way a worthwhile endeavor but I never hear anyone with resources interested in the idea. Probably because it doesn't reward us instantly with cash. Sorry for the off-topic.

a reply to: BelowLowAnnouncement

I think city crews should plant fruit trees everywhere they can grow. They have to tend to all the non fruit producing trees anyways at least that way there would be an abundance of produce to give to the shelters and needy.

I figure you can put the Autoflowering gene into genetically modified redwoods and plant them all over Alaska and they will grow quite fast since the permafrost is slowly going away. We could do it but I think they plan is to let it all die off and the winners can just pull genetic material out of their DUMBs to rebuild and repopulate as they like.

a reply to: BelowLowAnnouncement

I shouldn't worry too much about the Amazon.

The damage that's been done to it is terrible,of course but I remember when I was a kid,Greenpeace were saying things about how many trees were being cut down.It isn't much smaller now.And I'm 45.

Have a look at the Amazon rainforest on a map.It.Is.COLOSSAL.

2.1 million square miles.

originally posted by: Liquesence
I came across this today and wanted to share, as I was reminded of the thread created a day or two ago that talked about the massive Great Barrier Reef bleaching.

Link to source article.
Link to Research Article

Satellite images of the mouth of the Amazon show brick-red tendrils of water spilling into the deep blue of the Atlantic. The sediment-laden freshwater billows and plumes in the salty ocean.

But up close, this place is muddy and opaque, the water darkened by sediments picked up during the river's nearly 4,000-mile journey across the continent. It's an unlikely home for coral — a famously fragile form of life.

Further:

Yager helped the fellow researcher, Rodrigo Moura of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, get the equipment he needed to dredge the sea floor. What he pulled up astonished them both: vibrant corals, brittle stars, sponges, spiny lobsters and an array of fish. The find . . . covers about 3,700 square miles off the coasts of French Guiana and northern Brazil — all where scientists had assumed corals just couldn't grow.

Not that I like the idea of dredging the sea floor only to realize, "Whoops, there *IS* a lot of fragile stuff down there!", But this is pretty amazing, actually. I'd never heard about the possibility that there might be a reef of that size, and the fact of the conditions under which it could thrive are so unlike others, which proves just how biologically diverse the earth truly is, and what am amazing place it is and what it's capable of as an organism, when we find organisms growing—or even thriving, sometimes—in places that we, as humans, wouldn't think.

And now we have the possibility of a number of new species of ocean life:

All told, the researchers in Brazil found 61 species of sponge, 73 types of fish, 35 species of algae, 26 soft corals, 12 stony corals and more. Dozens of those are thought to be previously undiscovered species.

Unfortunately, we have exploratory drilling and an increasing amount of fishing moving into the region, which further threatens the future of this environment.

But the mouth of the Amazon is likely to become even less hospitable to sun-seeking marine life . . .

“In the past decade, a total of 80 exploratory blocks have been acquired for oil drilling in the study region, 20 of which are already producing,” the study authors wrote. “... Such large-scale industrial activities present a major environmental challenge."

Alas, it seems like human beings are pretty much a threat to everything on this earth.

Anyway, Enjoy!

We are even a threat to ourselves I think this just goes to prove "fck it".

Everyone is worried about the great barrier reef and coral bleaching... Give it a hundred years and our coral won't be bleached enough *sigh*. The earth will survive whatever we feeble humans throw at it, nature will adapt, coral reefs will spring up where we didn't think it was possible etc etc.

I'm not saying we shouldn't be concerned by climate change, I'm just saying we shouldn't get worked up over every environment that gets lost. Something equally unique will spring up to replace it, adaptation takes time. Change can be a good thing.

a reply to: GreenGunther

Something equally unique will spring up to replace it, adaptation takes time.

And big corporations will be there, when they do, to destroy it.

Greed is the new "god". Not of creation, but destruction.

originally posted by: Liquesence
Alas, it seems like human beings are pretty much a threat to everything on this earth.

Check your privilege Human!

a reply to: GreenGunther

You get it, and saved me a lengthy post (I get verbose).

This is pathetic--this is a thread about a previously unknown coral reef in an area where a massive amount of freshwater meets the ocean, and all this thread can do is concern itself with oil companies and planting trees everywhere.

New species of all kinds of things are possible, and all we can do is whine about how humans are a threat to everything on earth. Hell, everything on earth is a threat to human existence, too. Get over it.

This is an amazing find and opens up a lot of scientific questions and opportunities for discovery.

But, yes, let's just take away from this story that humans are terrible and we need trees.

Oh great now they are going to destroy it. Thank the scientists who do nothing to protect species.

originally posted by: SlapMonkey
This is pathetic--this is a thread about a previously unknown coral reef in an area where a massive amount of freshwater meets the ocean, and all this thread can do is concern itself with oil companies and planting trees everywhere.

New species of all kinds of things are possible, and all we can do is whine about how humans are a threat to everything on earth. Hell, everything on earth is a threat to human existence, too. Get over it.

This is an amazing find and opens up a lot of scientific questions and opportunities for discovery.

But, yes, let's just take away from this story that humans are terrible and we need trees.

Wow, pathetic indeed. Maybe you need more oxygen!

a reply to: chiefsmom

Of course.


Sadly, it's all about profit—and where money can be made.

Acquisition of money at all costs: environment, people, earth be damned.