Why do some coral reefs recover so much faster than others?

The answers might surprise and delight divers and as much as this spectacular regrowth over the Vatu-i-Ra reefs in Fiji stripped bare in 2015 by cyclone Winston, the southern hemisphere’s most powerful cyclone to date.

CSIRO marine ecologist, Dr. Christopher Doropoulos, has gathered evidence of coral reefs having the capacity to “bank” coral recruits in the crevices and holes of reef structures in much the same way that forests store dormant seeds in soil until the most crucial time for germination.

As the 2023 El Nino is predicted to lift average global temperatures by 1.5 degrees, scientists are racing to protect 70-90% of coral reef ecosystems facing disaster, or death.

Doropoulos and his colleagues at CSIRO observed that when adult corals are removed from reefs by storms or some other massive disturbances, fresh light and water flow seem to trigger the hidden corals to quickly expand and colonise the empty space.

Investigating what makes certain coral reefs more resilient, diverse and abundant, Doropolous suggested overlooked areas with a constant large supply of larvae may have more cryptic structures in which dormant larvae can hide from predators and storms until an environmental switch prompts them to proliferate. 

Such exciting research proves that we still have a lot to learn about coral reefs and the myriad ways they may still survive or thrive.

According to a 2013 WWF commissioned report on Virunga’s economic value, more than 3 million people live within a days’ walk of the park boundary and 97% of those households depend on timber and charcoal from forests for energy production. Around 20,000 people and even more head of cattle live inside the park and Lake Edward’s water and fish stocks supports 50,000 people.

Virunga has been at the centre of brutal recent rebel uprisings as well as providing a haven for refugees from the Rwandan genocide. Park wardens face relentless pressure from poachers, pastoralists and militant groups such that, in just 15 years, 140 park rangers, armed environmental soldiers, have died defending Virunga.

Across the DR Congo, almost 6 million people have died since war broke out in 1996 – the bloodiest war since World War II. But it is a conflict barely acknowledged by the rest of the world.

Virunga National Park epitomizes the struggle between human development and nature conservation. Even as the noise of civil war quietens, the clamour of seismic tests today clears a path for the oil industry to prevail over wildlife preservation.

But, against the odds, many refuse to abandon Virunga’s vision of peace and sanctuary for all those who depend upon it.

“All over the world, the lives of people are affected and the destinies of nations are determined by the result of oil explorations.” Nigerian OPEC minister Chief M.O. Feyide said in his 1987 speech Oil in World Politics.

DR Congo’s destiny depends on the results of oil exploration being carried out right now in Virunga National Park by the British oil and gas company, SOCO, at the enthusiastic invitation of the government of the DRC. But detractors and critics of the plan abound from the fishing settlements around Lake Edward to the meeting halls of the United Nations where one question is posed: What would oil drilling really do to Virunga?

Virunga has been on the World Heritage Committee’s “danger list” since 1994 due to detrimental poaching, human encroachment, overfishing, civil war and illegal harvesting of fuel wood. If the results of the seismic survey reveal a likely oil bounty, this would provide much-needed ammunition for the DRC government to argue the merits of reducing the boundaries of the national park or even to have Virunga’s World Heritage status stripped. This would leave the region even more vulnerable to the pressures and pollution of oil extraction.

Currently, the main obstacle to oil drilling in Virunga is the World Heritage Convention that prohibits oil exploration in a World Heritage Site due to risks to the environment and local communities.

SOCO pledged one million dollars in “social programmes” and stated a firm belief that drilling for oil in Virunga would raise living standards in local communities by creating jobs, “upskilling” the population and establishing “regulation and governance infrastructure”.

However, history has proven the opposite is likely. The Resource Curse (or Paradox of Plenty) describes the phenomenon of countries with the most abundant natural resources having the lowest economic growth. Specifically, countries exploiting rich reserves of non-renewables like minerals and fuel have the poorest populations.

According to the latest Africa Progress Report (2013), which lists DRC as a victim of the resource curse, the DRC still depends on aid for about one-third of its GDP, despite its vast mineral wealth that has been tapped for several hundred years. 

In practice, mining has led to poverty, inequality and violent conflict.”

Brussels-based think tank, The International Crisis Group (ICG), whose mission is to prevent conflict worldwide, warned in 2012 that drilling for oil in war-torn Eastern DRC represents a “real threat to stability” and would “exacerbate deep-rooted conflict.”.

Both my teenage daughters play competitive tennis. They do a lot of losing and they are expected to do so calmly while respecting the game and their winning opponents.

If one of my kids dared to break a racket in anger, it would take her months of mowing lawns on weekends or coaching beginners after school to save enough money to buy a new one. That’s a lot of missed matches and a lot of time to think about how to cope with the pressure that just a few days ago you claimed was a “privilege” in elite sport.

True, my daughters can only imagine the emotional pressure of the Olympic stage, the ardent expectations of your nation, your deep personal yearning for a Golden Slam to silence your critics and the 148 million dollars in prize money you have earned, so far. Which is exactly why you are the one to show my daughters how to cope. And Japan is the place to do it.

Various social science studies have established that apologising and taking responsibility for your mistakes will reduce stress, stabilise your heart rate and open pathways to empathy and forgiveness.

Psychotherapist and author of The Power of Apology, Beverly Engel, says saying sorry is crucial for mental and physical well-being as it humbles the arrogant, reconnects loved ones and deters us from repeating the same stupid mistake over and over again.

Granted, the benefits do seem to be greater for those receiving the apology than for those giving it.

In fact, researchers in a study published in The European Journal of Social Psychology found that when people refuse to express remorse, they actually show signs of “greater self-esteem, increased feelings of power and integrity.” That is certainly a self-fulfilling perspective for an athlete who sees himself as a fierce warrior and relentless fighter, inside whose mind fear and self-doubt are wholly unwelcome.

Even so, it doesn’t do you any good to act like a raving lunatic. I know that from the many times I have lost my shit arguing unsuccessfully with my teenage daughters (not over tennis, by the way).

You blew your medal chances, but the Tokyo Olympics are still your best chance to prepare for the US Open in just a few weeks.

Why? Because nowhere in the world is a sincere and proper apology more important and artful than in Japan.

The Japanese language has more than 20 different ways to say sorry. One of the most vital Japanese words for sorry is ‘sumimasen’, a verbal lubricant applied generously to keep human interactions flowing smoothly. It is as much “excuse me” as it is “thank you”. It speaks of both respect for others and personal honesty.

In Japan, apologising is more than polite ritual or self-flagellation, it reflects a culture of gratitude and humility. Among the most telling examples of this happened during the soccer World Cup in 2018 in Russia. The Japanese team were ahead 2-0 in a knockout match against Belgium, but were beaten 3-2 in a shock Belgian comeback that sent Japan packing for home.

But before they departed, the Japanese players bowed to their opponents and took it upon themselves to thoroughly and immaculately clean their locker rooms then leave a “thank you” note in Russian to their hosts. Meanwhile, heartbroken Japanese soccer fans stayed in the arena to clean up rubbish in the stands.

Mr Djokovic, you messed up and now you need to clean up.

You could learn a lot about apologising from Japanese culture. We all could. Maybe, in this historic Olympic moment in Tokyo, you could even change tennis culture.

Expressing genuine remorse, not temporary regret, will lift a terrible public burden from your shoulders. It will show respectful gratitude for the immense efforts of the Japanese people to honour and celebrate Olympic athletes despite the pervasive COVID-19 danger.

Apologising will also make my daughters far more likely to keep playing the GOAT sport of tennis and cheer you to US Open success.