Source: SkyNews
[1]May 29, 2012

"Nutrient-rich topsoil can be lethal to coral reefs when washed into the ocean, a study has found.

Researchers from the Australian Institute of Marine Scientists (AIMS), in conjunction with Bremen's Institute for Marine Microbiology, investigated the reasons why some major run-off and sedimentation events, such as this year's Queensland floods, cause sudden coral deaths.

They found organic matter, such as those found in fertilisers and topsoil, led to rapid rates of coral death when pushed into rivers and out to sea."

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