Ship leaking oil near Great Barrier Reef

A Chinese-registered ship carrying coal that ran aground off the coast of northeast Australia was leaking oil Sunday near the Great Barrier Reef -- the world's largest coral reef system.


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Well shit :/
Will oil kill coral?

Frostbite wrote:

Well shit :/
Will oil kill coral?

Yes .

Oil is lighter than water, how would it damage coral if only a certain amount is dumped?

BooBearSH wrote:

Oil is lighter than water, how would it damage coral if only a certain amount is dumped?

Coral reefs can be killed off by direct exposure to oil. Intertidal corals are the most vulnerable, since oil on the surface of the water is deposited directly on the coral reef when the tide is low. Branching corals also are more susceptible to damage from oil in contrast to larger plate-like corals. All corals are vulnerable, however, because oil can mix with sediment or thin out from sun exposure and sink. The oil literally smothers the coral.

http://www.ehow.com/how-does_5454273_do-spills-affect-coral-reefs.html

Defy, you just copied that from the article did you?

Oh no, not the coral.

Smithno13 wrote:

Defy, you just copied that from the article did you?

Copied it from ehow .