_damaged as a result of global warming in one of the
world's most exclusive diving,_
will take at least a
century_ _
new research has revealed.
Huge swathes of the coral at Rangiroa island_
French Polynesia died during three months of exceptionally warm
weather in 1998,_
sea temperatures soared to
_ average of 32 degrees centigrade for_
_ _
Rangiroa is an atoll, a coral island formed by rings of_reef surrounding a central lagoon._by Newcastle University's _
of Marine Sciences has shown damage to the 800 year old coral reefs was catastrophic, and that it would take more than 100 years
to return to their former state.
_ Peter Mumby, Royal
Society Research Fellow at the University said, "Usually
_sea temperatures rise, the coral usually withers
slightly but is able to recover.