Nuashonraithe Deiridh an 6 Samhain, 2024 le Foireann Divernet
Chagos Archipelago, the remote chain of seven atolls in the Indian Ocean long held up as one of the world's most pristine coral reefs, has been hit by severe bleaching and die-off of its shallower corals.
Tá oileánra Chagos, an slabhra iargúlta seacht n-atoll san Aigéan Indiach a bhí ar cheann de na sceireacha coiréil is luachmhaire ar domhan, buailte ag tuaradh dian agus bás a choiréil níos éadomhain.
Freisin léamh: Éiríonn siorcanna as sceireacha coiréil te – ní thairgeann poo éan ach bun os cionn
Chríochnaigh foireann de 14 eolaí faoi stiúir an Ollaimh John Turner ó Scoil Eolaíochtaí Aigéin Ollscoil Bangor turas chuig an oileánra le déanaí, atá suite i gceann de na limistéir mhuirí cosanta is mó ar domhan, Críoch Aigéan Indiach na Breataine.
The territory covers an area the size of France and has been largely uninhabited since 1971, when the UK evicted the inhabitants to allow the USA to develop the Diego Garcia naval base.
Apart from its coral, Chagos Marine Reserve contains significant populations of endangered species including sharks and turtles and, says the university, has provided a benchmark for reversing damaged eco-systems elsewhere.
Chaith na heolaithe trí seachtaine ar bord an tsoithigh patróil chúltaca Teorainn Grampian measúnú a dhéanamh ar an tionchar a bhí ag imeachtaí téimh le dhá bhliain anuas ar sceireacha coiréil i dtrí cinn de na hataill.
Diving exposed seaward reefs, leeward lagoon reefs and patch reefs to a depth of 25m, they reported that, although corals below 15m were generally in good health, most of those above that depth – apart from the often very large porites – had died.
Many large table corals had collapsed, and at exposed sites had been swept off the reef, taking young corals with them.
Ar sceireacha nochtaithe cois farraige, ba chosúil go raibh borradh faoin bhfuar-uisce ag cuidiú le coiréil níos doimhne a chosaint.
“Is léir go bhfuil brón orainn sceireacha coiréil Chagos a fheiceáil sa stát seo, rud nach ionann agus láithreacha eile a bhfuil tionchar ag an aeráid orthu ar nós an Mhórsceir Bhacainneach,” a dúirt an tOllamh Turner.
Dúirt sé, áfach, go raibh sé “dóchasach i gcónaí gur féidir leis na sceireacha seo, atá cosanta agus iargúlta ó thionchair dhaonna, preabadh ar ais go fóill mar a rinne siad tar éis imeacht téimh 1997/98.”
Dúirt sé freisin gurbh é buaicphointe na heagla ná teagmháil le siorc buailte, an peiligeach faoi bhagairt a thugann cuairt ar sceireacha le haghaidh glantacháin ach nach raibh le feiceáil i Chagos roimhe seo.
“Chuir an siorc an-iontas ormsa agus a d’úsáid mé flick a eireaball ollmhór chun luas a chur isteach sa ghorm.”
Mhaoinigh Fondúireacht Bertarelli an turas tríd an Zoological Society of London.