USGS analysis finds water temperatures from July to September in the region in recent decades were about 2 degrees Fahrenheit warmer when compared to a century earlier. Ilsa Kuffner, lead author for the USGS report, said water temperatures are on average 84 degrees Fahrenheit during the late summer months . “When corals are exposed to water temperatures above 84 F they grow more slowly and, during extended exposure periods, can stop growing altogether or die,” the USGS marine biologist said. The study comes on the heels of two reports warning of the impact of global climate change. A report this week from the World Meteorological Organization finds the warming effect of the atmospheric accumulation of greenhouse gases is increasing in part because of the continued use of fossil fuels . A study from the National Audubon Society suggests many North American bird species may […]