From Peter Ridd and Thomas Stieglitz, James Cook University, and Gregg Brunskill, Australian Institute of Marine Science
Your article “‘Wonky holes’ blamed for coral death” proposes that water emanating from wonky holes – springs on the seabed that emit water draining from the land – is killing corals on the Great Barrier Reef (16 November, p 5). As scientists working on groundwater discharge from wonky holes, we can state that there is currently no evidence to support this proposition.
The oxygen isotope record in coral core samples that your article refers to shows a freshwater signal, the origin of which is unknown. Groundwater discharge from wonky holes is only one of a number of possible explanations for this signal. Hence any implications made on the environmental effects of groundwater discharge from wonky holes are premature.
Rachel Nowak replies: We were wrong. An editing error overstated the possibility that contaminated discharge from wonky holes might be poisoning the Great Barrier Reef
Townsville, Queensland, Australia
