The living underwater forest of Australia's Great Barrier Reef.<br/> <br />This spiny starfish is one of the culprits threatening the lifeblood of this habitat.<br/> <br />Along with coal and gas shipments and climate change, the native Crown-of-thorns starfish is destroying coral.<br/> <br />The reef has already lost half its coral cover in the past 27 years, according to a new study, and researchers are predicting a dire future for the reef.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE)(English) AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF MARINE SCIENCE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER JOHN GUNN, SAYING:<br/> <br />"With the same conditions over the next 10 years we'd see a further reduction by half of the coral cover in the reef."<br/> <br />The reefs can take up to two decades to recover -- warmer waters due to climate change and higher ocean acidity slow the process even further.<br/> <br />Environmentalists say controlling the Crown-of-thorns population by reducing fertilizer run-off is key.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE)(English) WORLD WILDLIFE FUND GREAT BARRIER REEF CO-ORDINATOR NICK HEATH, SAYING:<br/> <br />"Fertiliser is the food of Crown-of-thorns when it is in its baby stage. We have got to cut that food from that potential explosion of Crown-of-thorns every 15 years."<br/> <br />Officials are conducting a major review to help manage the threats to the world's largest coral reef.
