Decline of more than 500 species of marine life on Australian reefs ‘the tip of the iceberg’, study finds

Study monitoring more than 1,000 species found declines were most marked in the rocky kelp-dominated reefs of the cooler southern waters. Photograph: Graham and Edgar courtesy Great Southern Reef Foundation 2023

More than 500 common species of fish, seaweed, coral and invertebrates that live on reefs around Australia have declined in the past decade, a study has found, as experts warn “not all is well in the ocean”.

Global heating was likely the main driver of the falls, with marine heatwaves and a rise in ocean temperatures hitting species that live on rocky and coral reefs.