The Australian Government's Innovation Report

Many of these Keppel Island corals which bleached in 2005 are now on the road to recovery thanks to a unique ability to adapt to changing temperatures. Photo
credits: R. Berkelmans, AIMS
What makes Keppel Corals more resilient: The warmest year in the Australian instrumental record was 2005,
with high temperatures throughout the year leading to initial summer water temperatures two degrees Celsius
above average. Extensive cloud cover and heavy rain in January 2006 suppressed temperatures long enough
to prevent coral bleaching on most of the Great Barrier Reef, except around the Keppel Islands where 63 to
100% of corals bleached.
AIMS scientists investigated the Keppel bleaching event which occurred up to a month earlier than events
seen in 1998 and 2002. During these earlier two bleaching events, almost every coral in the Keppels bleached.
Most recovered three to six months later, revealing a remarkable resilience not seen at other locations on the
Great Barrier Reef.
Research in the Keppel Islands is showing that corals in this area have an ability to quickly change their algal
symbionts (called zooxanthellae). The coral’s ability to adapt by altering their zooxanthellae allows them to endure
greater temperature fluctuations as different types of algae are better suited to varying thermal conditions.
Corals in the Keppels also grow faster than their northern counterparts and have an ability to store more fats.
This may be at least part of the reason why the Keppel corals were able to bounce back from a heat wave in
2002 that had adverse consequences for other regions.
Climate research on the Amery Ice Shelf: Antarctic ice shelves are important components of the climate
system. Basal melting and freezing processes can substantially modify large water masses circulating in the ocean
cavities beneath them. Significant collapse of ice shelves may lead to accelerated discharge of continental ice
with direct impact on global sea level variations.
The Australian Government Antarctic Division is undertaking the Amery Ice Shelf Ocean Research Project,
which aims to investigate interaction between the 60 000 square kilometre floating Amery Ice Shelf and its inland
Lambert Glacier drainage basin, with an area of 1 550 000 square kilometres. The Lambert is the largest
glacier-ice shelf system in East Antarctica.
Chapter 3 - National research priorities 101