Two years ago, a strong earthquake struck Indonesia’s Sumatra island killing nearly 1,000 people. Not only did this earthquake bring grief amongst the people, but it also caused one of the biggest coral reef die-offs ever recorded. Scientists from the U.S.-based Wildlife Conservation Society and the government-backed Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies found that the earthquake had raised the island of Simeulue up to 1.2 metres. This rise caused the coral reef to be exposed over approximately 300 km of sea floor.

Coral Reef

Photo Credited to: Wikipedia

Although some sites in Simeulue have recovered, none of the coral that was raised during the earthquake survived. Because the reefs are beginning to look like what they were before the earthquake species are beginning to recolonize, but it may take years for the reefs to fully recover. Scientists and researchers took advantage of this one in a life time opportunity. In order to ensure that the reef remains alive and in great conditions the Australian government banned the use of chemicals to catch fish. I think that it’s great that many scientists and researchers get to be involved in this once in a lifetime opportunity and that its great that parts of the coral reef are recovering, but it also allows the viewers to see what great damage something such as an earthquake can cause.

Sources:

http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=12567

http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUSJAK25142920070412?feedType=RSS

http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/41364/story.htm

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,265920,00.html