New Survival Mechanism for Coral Reefs Discovered
Scientists have discovered that Corals in the Great Barrier Reef may have a “Back-Up Mechanism” to help prevent Coral Bleaching, and thus insure their survival during periods of Global Climate Change.
Since the 1980’s the world’s coral reefs have suffered extensive damage from a condition called “Coral Bleaching,” where the symbiotic algae which lives in the tissues of coral organisms, has been killed off, weakening the coral, which has then suffered subsequent mass die-offs. The algae normally, in exchange for being sheltered by the host corals, manufacture nutrients through the process of photosynthesis, which in turn provide nutrition for the corals. Recently, Australian scientists have discovered that certain species of corals on the Great Barrier Reef have the ability to host several different species of algae, as dictated by surrounding water temperatures, which may be one of the keys to the long-term survival of Coral Reefs through past periods of climate fluctuation. To read the full story CLICK HERE.