This year the northern and central Great Barrier Reef have recorded their highest amount of…
Browsing: Coral Reefs
Coral reefs are diverse underwater ecosystems held together by calcium carbonate structures secreted by corals. Often referred to as the “rainforests of the sea,” they are among the most biologically diverse and productive ecosystems on Earth, providing habitat, shelter, and resources for an extensive variety of marine organisms. Coral reefs are critical to marine life and play key roles in the fishing and tourism industries, which support the economy of many nations around the world. They also offer coastline protection by reducing the power of waves hitting the shore and help mitigate carbon dioxide levels in the ocean. Despite their importance, coral reefs are extremely sensitive to water conditions and are facing unprecedented threats from climate change, oceanic acidification, overfishing, pollution, and destructive fishing practices, leading to rapid declines in reef health globally.
Pedigree provides insights for maximizing genetic diversity and adaptability in corals bred for conservation. Corals…
Cold water shock is linked to catastrophic coral collapse in the Eastern Pacific, according to…
Researchers have proved for the first time that corals’ fluorescent colors are intended to attract…
Researchers find that sea corals are a source of a sought-after “anti-cancer” compound The ocean…
Machine learning enables largest study to date on aesthetic preferences and fish ecology. What makes…
An iconic coral species found in UK waters could expand its range due to climate…
Coral reef fish breed more successfully if motorboat noise is reduced, new research shows. Scientists…
Research findings could help manage and build a resilient network of coral reefs. As the…
An international team of environmental scientists has published a series of significant recommendations to protect,…
22-month study provides realistic conditions, scientists say. A long-term study of Hawaiian coral species provides…
Researchers apply stressful temperature treatment to laboratory corals to boost heat tolerance. A new study…
Limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels will still be catastrophic for coral reefs,…
Reef fish, such as emperors, tropical snappers, and rockcods, help keep numbers of coral-eating crown-of-thorns…
Climate change is altering familiar conditions of the world’s oceans and creating new environments that…
Rice biologists’ discovery can be used to help climate-challenged reefs survive for now. A little…
In 2019, a hydrology professor at The University of Texas at Austin set out on…
Researchers tease apart contributions of symbiotic bacteria and algae to corals’ heat tolerance and identify…