coral reefs tagged posts

Reef corals in equatorial regions are going to start moving toward the poles as climate change takes hold, scientists have said. By analyzing the ranges of reefs from the fossil record, researchers are able to build a picture of how these systems respond to climate change—and then project how they might respond under future global warming.

Findings show that, under two climate change scenarios set out by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), reefs are likely to expand their poleward range—in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres—and decline in the regions they currently occupy. This will mean a fundamental change to the locations of reef corals in the future.

The study, published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, examines the fossil record for ho...

Beneath the crystal-clear waters of the Indian Ocean island nation of the Seychelles, a fight is growing to save the coral reefs that shelter a range of creatures, from tiny invertebrates to the sprawling octopus, from climate change.

The fragile reefs act both as a protective barrier for coastlines and an attraction for the tourists who keep the country’s economy going. But the reefs are also one of the first victims of rising ocean temperatures.

The Seychelles in some areas lost up to 90 percent of its coral reefs in 1998 in an environmental event known as bleaching, where coral in warming waters expel the colorful algae that live within their skeletons and, without their nutrients, starve...

When coral reefs come in contact with plastic trash in the ocean, their risk of becoming diseased skyrockets, said an international study. Researchers examined 1,20,000 corals on 159 reefs from Indonesia, Australia, Myanmar and Thailand for the study in journal science we found the chance of disease increased from 4% to 89% when corals were in contact with plastic.

Scientists are still trying to figure out why plastics are so dangerous for coral, which cover about 0.2% of ocean floor but provide habitat for million species of young fish.

As if the devastation in Texas wasn’t enough, Hurricane Harvey’s aftermath has also brought a real threat to the Gulf of Mexico. A massive freshwater plume has poured runoff into the Gulf, temporarily altering the surrounding water’s salinity – and threatening coral reefs.

Harvey dumped some 20 trillion gallons of rain on the Lone Star State, and that record rainfall had to go somewhere. That somewhere is the Gulf of Mexico. Scientists estimate an incredible 13 trillion gallons entered the Gulf in the days immediately following the storm.

The possible negative effects of that much freshwater entering the saltwater ecosystem became apparent on September 28...

Did you know coral reefs pump more than $3.4 billion into the U.S. economy each year? And that’s a conservative estimate! Healthy coral reef ecosystems do everything from supporting millions of jobs to protecting lives and coastal infrastructure. Despite all they do for us, our coral reef ecosystems are threatened. Climate change, pollution from the land, and harmful fishing practices top the list of threats. Fortunately, it’s not too late to protect these resources. Watch our fast-draw video to learn more.