From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Climate change, overfishing and pollution are threatening coral reefs worldwide, according to researchers, and their capacity to provide essential benefits and services to humans has drastically decreased.
A study published Friday in the journal One Earth offered a comprehensive look at the impact diminishing coral reef coverage has had on ecosystem services, that is, the ability of reefs to provide food and livelihoods to humans.
Global coverage of living coral has been halved since the 1950s, according to the study, and has come with a proportional decline in fish catches and abundance, as well as biodiversity.
"Coral reefs are known to be important habitats for biodiversity and are particularly sensitive to climate change, as marine heat waves can cause bleaching events," Tyler Eddy, research scientist at the Fisheries and Marine Institute, Memorial University of Newfoundland, said in a news release. "Coral reefs provide important ecosystem services to humans, through fisheries, economic opportunities and protection from storms."
Coral bleaching occurs when sources of stress, including changes in temperature, cause coral to expel the algae living in its tissue, which turns it white. Bleached coral is still alive, but much more vulnerable to disease and starvation.
In addition to providing a habitat for fish, coral reefs also act as a natural barrier protecting shorelines from waves and storms.
Eddy and his colleagues analyzed living coral cover across the globe against coral-associated fish catches, fish abundance, biodiversity and consumption of fishes by coastal Indigenous groups.
They found that the volume of fish caught peaked in 2002 and has been in decline since despite increased fishing efforts. The catch-per-unit effort, a metric that indicates abundance, has decreased by 60 per cent since 1950.
The team of researchers also calculated a 63 per cent decline in biodiversity with the loss of coral.
"Our analysis indicates that the capacity of coral reefs to provide ecosystem services has declined by about half globally," William Cheung of the University of British Columbia's Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries said. "This study speaks to the importance of how we manage coral reefs not only at regional scales, but also at the global scale, and the livelihoods of communities that rely on them."
The authors of the study note that achieving climate change emissions targets and reducing local impacts can help reduce stress on reefs and allow them to continue providing ecosystem services.
Maintaining these services is essential for coastal Indigenous peoples, the authors wrote, as their consumption of seafood is 15 times that of non-Indigenous populations, and therefore they rely on these habitats heavily for nutrition.
"Coral reef biodiversity and fisheries take on added importance for Indigenous communities, small island developing states and coastal populations where they may be essential to traditions and cultural practices," the authors wrote. "The reduced capacity of coral reefs to provide ecosystem services undermines the well-being of millions of people with historical and continuing relationships with coral reef ecosystems."
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Careful attention to government statements and legislation is required to get a handle on the level of risk British Columbians’ information is under, as investigators probe multiple breaches under a continued barrage of attacks.
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
The Oscar-winning team behind the nearly US$6 billion blockbuster 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' trilogies is reuniting to produce two new films.
A Listowel, Ont. man, drafted by the Hamilton Tigercats last week, is also getting looks from the NFL, despite only playing 27 games of football in his life.
A small Ajax dessert shop that recently received a glowing review from celebrity food critic Keith Lee is being forced to move after a zoning complaint was made following the social media influencer’s visit last month.
The Canada Science and Technology Museum is inviting visitors to explore their poop. A new exhibition opens at the Ottawa museum on Friday called, 'Oh Crap! Rethinking human waste.'
The Regina Police Service says it is the first in Saskatchewan and possibly Canada to implement new technology in its detention facility that will offer real-time monitoring of detainees’ vital health metrics.
The stakes have been set for a bet between Vancouver and Edmonton's mayors on who will win Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
A grieving mother is hosting a helmet drive in the hopes of protecting children on Manitoba First Nations from a similar tragedy that killed her daughter.
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
A P.E.I. lighthouse and a New Brunswick river are being honoured in a Canada Post series.
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.