Two Scripps-led studies demonstrate the effectiveness of underwater acoustic enrichment in spurring coral and fish recovery efforts. The studies, conducted in Hawaii's Kāne’ohe Bay, show that playing sounds from healthy reefs can increase the presence of coral larvae and fish larvae on artificial reef structures.
A new study estimates that fully restored oyster reefs in hotspot countries could yield a gross ecosystem product (GEP) of $12 trillion. Oyster reefs could deliver ecosystem services worth trillions to human wellbeing and the global economy, including water filtration, shoreline protection, and carbon sequestration.
Researchers found that combining scientific monitoring with local knowledge can help inform conservation strategies in Indonesia's coral reef ecosystems. The study suggests that integrating local ecological knowledge with scientific monitoring can enhance community participation and development of conservation strategies tailored to th...
A new University of Georgia study found that coral reefs are increasingly vulnerable to disease and heat stress, with corals with preexisting disease conditions being particularly susceptible. The study suggests that conservation efforts should focus on the edges of reefs, where corals are more likely to survive warmer temperatures, an...
Temporary shades over coral reefs in the Florida Keys reduced UV and irradiance damage, mitigating heat damage and partly reversing bleaching. The study found that shading can offer temporary protection on small scales, but scaling is a limitation, and additional studies are needed to confirm its effectiveness.
Research finds that controlled Crown-of-thorns starfish populations can support coral diversity by preventing dominant species from monopolizing reef space. This helps increase coral diversity. COTS feeding on fast-growing corals like Acropora creates space for slower-growing species like Montipora and Porites to persist.
A study has uncovered the reproductive cycles of key coral reef-builders, providing a benchmark for tracking the impacts of climate change and assessing reef recovery. The research found that some coral species may not follow traditional reproductive schedules, highlighting the need for year-round monitoring.
Researchers have found 'plasticorals', coral rubble fused with plastic, on the shores of vulnerable coral reefs in Okinawa, Japan. This discovery highlights a potential threat to critical marine environments, as plastic pollution can disrupt coral propagation and harbor coral pathogens.
Research finds that fertilizers and extreme heat are causing coral bleaching and disease outbreaks in the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. The study reveals that 60-80% of the nitrogen in the coral reefs comes from the Mississippi River basin, leading to an increase in disease outbreaks and coral bleaching.
A recent NTU Singapore study found that 76% of Indo-Pacific coral reefs may struggle to keep pace with accelerating sea-level rise, threatening coastal protection and marine habitats. Reefs can grow only so quickly, and if sea level rises faster than a reef can build upwards, the reef will sit under progressively deeper water.
A new study analyzing fossilized shark scales found that Pacific reefs naturally supported far more sharks than Caribbean reefs thousands of years ago. The research suggests that differences in ocean productivity have shaped shark populations over time, with Pacific reefs appearing more resilient to human impacts.
A two-year collaboration between Anindilyakwa Land and Sea Rangers and UTS scientists has delivered the first comprehensive scientific baseline for the corals around Groote Archipelago in Australia's Northern Territory. The study found coral cover ranging from 5 to 47 per cent across sites, dominated by hardy massive corals.
Scientists have discovered a new coral species growing up to 1 meter tall on rocky outcrops in the Pacific Ocean. The bright yellow coral was found thriving in large numbers among brittle stars and has been classified into a new family, Laurinqueidae.
Researchers found that populations of small invertebrates thrive near rat-infested islands, where seabirds are scarce. In contrast, fish biomass is higher on reefs without rats, benefiting from nutrient-rich guano deposits.
Researchers used sonar and underwater imaging systems to find a healthy mesophotic coral garden, 11.5 kilometers off the coast of Benin. The reef, home to eight types of coral and eight species of fish, challenges previous assumptions about its existence.
The Ryukyu Islands Coral eDNA Atlas provides a comprehensive overview of hard coral distribution across the region based on extensive environmental DNA analysis. The atlas includes data from 231 locations, revealing relative abundance of different coral genera at each survey site.
A recent study found that human activities are fundamentally altering the chemical makeup of local coral reefs, leading to decreased coral health and resilience. The research team discovered that 25 contaminants from agricultural, industrial, and pharmaceutical sources accumulated in the soft tissues of coral around Maui, Hawai‘i.
A study found that small coral reef fishes form previously undocumented associations with Christmas tree worms and other tube-dwelling worms on Caribbean coral reefs. This behavior is unclear, with potential benefits to both parties, and warrants further investigation into whether it's mutualistic, commensal, or parasitic.
A new study found that seagrass meadows are a vital source of nutritionally rich fish for coastal communities, with an average seagrass fish providing up to 21% of a child's daily zinc needs. Seagrass meadows are essential habitats for supporting the health and well-being of millions of people in tropical coastal regions.
A new international paper argues that science alone is not enough to protect coral reefs, which are disappearing at an unprecedented rate due to climate change and human activities. The authors propose using artistic expression and creative design to inspire public awareness and meaningful action for coral reef conservation.
Researchers at UC Berkeley have found that algae parasitized coral, exploiting a cellular organelle to obtain nutrients. This symbiotic relationship could hold the key to understanding why reefs are dying due to warming oceans.
The study reveals coral reefs' significant carbon sequestration potential and how reef-dwelling fish contribute to the carbon cycle. Reef sediments dominate carbon storage, with fish influencing sediment carbon reservoirs through bioerosion and respiration.
Rising ocean temperatures cause corals to struggle with oxygen uptake due to disrupted ciliary motion. At moderate temperatures, corals accelerate ciliary motion to meet increased oxygen demand, but this compensatory mechanism fails at higher temperatures.
Researchers uncover the largest expansion of coral reefs in the past 100 million years, which occurred 20-10 million years ago in the Indo-Australian Archipelago. This region is now home to a quarter of all marine species despite covering less than one percent of the oceans.
A new study by the University of Southampton reveals that an imbalance of nutrients in seawater can cause coral disease, potentially more so than heat stress. The research found that 88% of Black Band Disease incidents occurred in regions with highly imbalanced nutrient ratios.
Researchers at University of Miami developed a novel strategy to enhance survival rates of lab-grown baby corals by modifying the alkalinity of growth tiles. By increasing sodium carbonate levels, they observed a fourfold improvement in early-stage coral survival, paving the way for potential coral restoration efforts.
A team of researchers has discovered over 3,700 new bacteria species in coral reefs, each producing unique bioactive compounds with vast industrial and medical applications. The findings reveal the immense genomic potential of reef-building corals and highlight the importance of conserving these ecosystems.
Researchers used 3D imaging and artificial intelligence to analyze the microscopic structure of coral skeletons, revealing subtle changes caused by Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease. The study found that Attention U-Net performed best in detecting differences between healthy and diseased corals.
A study calls for increased coral assisted evolution research to help reefs cope with rapidly warming oceans. The international team identified nine research priorities, including expanding large-scale field-based research and long-term funding to understand coral biology.
Researchers from Xiamen University have developed a new method to measure coral reef photosynthesis using passive acoustic technology. The study found that the rate of oxygen bubble formation varies systematically with seasons and environmental conditions, providing a way to track reef health and productivity. This non-invasive approac...
Researchers discovered diverse microbes on coral reefs, producing chemicals with promising applications in medicine and biotechnology. The findings highlight a critical dimension of conservation: the loss of coral reefs also loses a vast 'molecular library' linked to microbial life.
The Global Coral Tech Transfer Project brings together SECORE International, Australian Institute of Marine Science, and FUNDEMAR to share coral breeding techniques and technologies for large-scale restoration. The partnership aims to create a comprehensive toolbox for boosting reef resilience worldwide.
A recent study found that coral reefs in Moorea are struggling to recover from bleaching events due to the presence of algae encrusting dead coral skeletons. The algae, particularly Lobophora variegata, are stabilizing the dead corals, making it difficult for juvenile corals to establish themselves and rebuild the reef.
Researchers have identified new microbial species in corals that produce unique natural products, offering a vast arsenal of potential benefits to humanity. The study highlights the importance of protecting coral reefs' microbiomes to tap into this untapped resource before it's lost forever.
Researchers have identified the complex shapes of natural oyster reefs are not random, but optimise the establishment and survival of developing oysters. The study provides critical information to guide effective reef restoration using artificial habitats that replicate specific geometric attributes found in natural reefs.
Ocean researchers call for broadened species categories and improved protections for coral reefs, as narrow definitions allow for military and economic interference. The researchers' letter aims to inform policymakers to address conservation gaps and ensure reef protection.
Corals in extreme coastal bays have flexible nutritional strategies, symbiotic relationships with heat-tolerant algae, and microbial communities that enhance their stress resistance. They can adapt to new conditions, but this comes at a cost, and are naturally more resistant to heat.
Researchers used a novel nitrogen isotope method to reconstruct ancient reef food webs, revealing that modern reefs have shorter and less diverse food chains. This loss of functional diversity makes modern coral reefs more prone to collapse, highlighting the need for conservation efforts.
A new study finds that food chains on modern Caribbean coral reefs are 60-70% shorter than they were 7,000 years ago. Individual fish have lost dietary specialization, leading to a compression of the distance between different trophic levels.
A recent study led by Smithsonian researchers found that half of the world's coral reefs suffered significant damage due to a global marine heatwave between 2014 and 2017. The analysis also showed that an even more severe event is unfolding now, with 50% of coral reefs experiencing significant damage.
A £3.7 million project aims to provide unprecedented analysis of mesophotic coral reefs' vulnerability to climate change and identify ways to protect them. The study will use state-of-the-art technologies to collect comprehensive data on biodiversity, health, and environmental parameters.
A new study demonstrates that changes in seawater microbiome adjacent to corals reveal disease presence more clearly than microbes living within coral tissue itself. This approach could form the basis of an early warning system, allowing managers to respond before disease causes irreversible damage.
Researchers found coral reefs impose daily rhythms on nearby microbes, reshaping their composition and abundance. This daily pattern is stronger than seasonal differences, suggesting time of day is a critical factor in studying reef-associated microbial communities.
A new study by the University of Oxford and WCS reveals that connections between coral reefs can stabilize reef health, reducing the risk of collapse. By simulating future reef conditions under different management scenarios, researchers found that a dual approach improving land and sea conditions provides the best outcomes for reefs.
Researchers found that coral reefs governed the pace of climate recovery by tuning the planet's carbon and climate cycles. The study suggests that reefs played a crucial role in stabilizing climate, but modern reef systems are declining due to warming and ocean acidification.
By 2100, coral reefs will be slow to recover, less complex, and dominated by fleshy algae as a result of high carbon dioxide changes in ocean chemistry. The study uses unique coral reefs in Papua New Guinea to determine the impact of ocean acidification on coral reefs.
A new study models the impact of climate change on the GBR, forecasting a rapid coral decline before the middle of this century. However, curbing emissions and strategic management can help improve coral resilience, especially in well-mixed waters with good larval replenishment.
Researchers at Queensland University of Technology have discovered a three-step process in coral fragments attaching to reefs, involving an immune response, tissue anchoring, and skeleton building. The study reveals distinct biological differences between coral species influencing attachment efficiency and growth rates.
Researchers at the University of Technology Sydney discovered that tailored lipid supplements can significantly increase coral larvae's strength, speed, and survival rate. This innovation has major implications for reef restoration projects, which aim to improve larval supply but often face low post-settlement survival rates.
The 2023 marine heatwave caused widespread coral mortality in Florida's Coral Reef, leading to the functional extinction of critically endangered Acropora species. Researchers found that between 97.8 and 100% of coral colonies had died by March 2024, highlighting the urgent need for interventions to maintain these populations.
A new study documents the functional extinction of Acropora corals from Florida's Coral Reef following a record-setting marine heatwave in 2023. The heatwave caused catastrophic mortality rates, leading to a collapse of ecological function and marking what scientists call a functional extinction.
A Mediterranean coral species has been found to have a unique "dual feeding" strategy that allows it to survive and even thrive in rising sea temperatures. This flexibility involves the coral being able to feed itself with or without algae, making it more resilient to climate change.
A new method, pioneered by University of Sydney student Carra Williams, uses neutron computed tomography to identify well-preserved pockets of coral skeleton that can reveal precise timelines of sea-level and climate shifts. The technique has the potential to transform how scientists reconstruct ancient climates.
Most coral reefs in the western Atlantic are projected to stop growing and begin eroding due to global warming, with more than 70% expected to decline by 2040. The study also found that reefs will lag behind sea-level rise, resulting in increased flooding risks along vulnerable coasts.
Researchers created Bacterial Reef Ink, a living material that stimulates coral larvae to attach and settle. The ink's customized bacterial strains increased coral settlement by fivefold in test tanks.
Research reveals that even thermally tolerant coral species like Stylophora pistillata can experience reduced growth and increased metabolic demand under chronic elevated baseline temperatures. However, some corals can recover when waters cool in the winter, suggesting a potential for resilience.
The Great Barrier Reef has experienced a significant decline in coral cover, with hard coral cover sitting near the long-term average in each region. Climate change-induced heat stress and cyclones have been major contributors to this decline, particularly among corals dominated by the Acropora species.
Researchers from Italy developed a conductive biopaste to accelerate coral growth and a natural healing patch to target antibiotic delivery to diseased corals, both showing promising results in laboratory tests.
Researchers at Ohio State University developed two technologies to support the survival and growth of baby corals, combining Underwater Zooplankton Enhancement Light Array (UZELA) with 3D printed artificial settlement modules. This combination doubles coral survivorship and quadruples growth, providing a promising solution for coral re...
Coral reefs face severe threats from climate change and heat stress. Researchers are turning to assisted gene flow (AGF) to restore genetic diversity and boost resilience. International collaboration and revisions to conservation laws are necessary to proactively expand AGF efforts, safeguarding and restoring coral reef ecosystems.