NE Australian marine heatwave shakes up coral reef animal populations

Research describes upheaval among fish and invertebrate communities after a marine heatwave hit Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea in early 2016. The study analyzed data collected across these areas by the Reef Life Survey (RLS) citizen science program. It identified important changes in reef-animal communities that may affect the resilience of coral reefs, potentially reducing the capacity of corals to rebuild after mass bleaching.