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Frequently Asked Questions
Coral
Reef Research
What’s this I hear about coral reefs and global climate change? Mass bleaching of corals is now the biggest threat to the survival of coral reef ecosystems. Coral polyps harbor symbiotic algae called zooxanthellae, which provide the necessary nutrients for reef building corals to calcify reef structures. When a coral bleaches it loses its symbiotic zooxanthellae and will die within a short period of time unless it regains it symbionts. Many hypotheses exist as to the cause behind coral bleaching, but the strongest evidence points to elevated sea surface temperatures as being the main catalyst. It is hypothesized that stress induced from pollution, ultraviolet radiation, and changing salinity also play a role in the extent of coral bleaching. With the current sea surface temperature warming trend, likely due to global climate change, along with the apparent increase in frequency and intensity of El Nino events, coral reefs, as we know them, are at an extreme risk of becoming extinct within the next 50 years. -Bryant, D., Burke, L., McManus, J., and M. Spalding. 1998. "Reefs at Risk: A Map Based Indicator of Threats to the World’s Coral Reefs." World Resources Institure. Washington D.C. [top] Are there online coral literature resources available? Yes! Many coral related journals offer online publications, but the best place to start is Sciencekomm’s MEDBIOWORLD page specifically dedicated to Hydrology, Marine Science, Freshwater Science, and Aquaculture Journals. This page offers a comprehensive list of all the journals that publish marine science articles. By performing a quick search, one can easily acquire literature on coral reefs. The website is listed below. -Sciencekomm’s
MEDBIOWORLD. Hydrology, Marine Science, Freshwater Science, and
Aquaculture Journals. [top]
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