Widespread bleaching in the One Tree Island lagoon (Southern Great Barrier Reef) during record-breaking temperatures in 2020

The global marine environment has been impacted significantly by climate change. Ocean temperatures are rising, and the frequency, duration intensity of heatwaves increasing, particularly affecting coral reefs. Coral bleaching events becoming more common, with less recovery time between events. Anomalous at start 2020 caused widespread across Great Barrier Reef (GBR), extending to southern, previously affected reefs such as One Tree Island. Here, nine video transects were conducted Island, in Capricorn Bunker Group, analysed for community composition diversity, extent taxa. Average live hard cover area was 11.62%, almost half this identified severely bleached. This event is concerning it occurred an considered a potential refuge corals associated fauna from risks warming. Due impacts COVID-19 during 2020, report provides one potentially few monitoring efforts bleaching.