"Australia's Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority announced that coral reefs throughout Queensland are suffering some of the worst damage in recorded history. Spokesman Craig Sambell told reporters that high water temperatures and freshwater runoff have resulted in extensive coral bleaching, a condition that causes the marine animals to weaken, and possibly die. It occurs when the coral animals become stressed by environmental factors and expel algae, which normally gives them their bright colors and helps them feed. The coral may survive for brief periods without the algae, but a prolonged absence can lead to death. The Queensland coast has suffered from heavy inundation's during recent months, sending vast quantities of fresh water flowing into the Coral Sea and its barrier reefs. El Niño produced unusually warm ocean temperatures in the area, compounding the stress on the coral. Ongoing global warming may also be contributing to the loss of coral reefs across the southern oceans, according to Greenpeace climate campaigner Erwin Jackson."--Earth Alert <http://www.discovery.com/news/earthalert/earthalert.html>.