https://www.sciencedaily.com/news/earth_climate/coral_reefs/ Coral reef information. Read current news articles on coral reefs in danger due to coral bleaching. See photos of coral reef fish and sponges. Learn about coral reef conservation. en-us Sat, 07 Mar 2026 06:29:36 EST Sat, 07 Mar 2026 06:29:36 EST 60 https://www.sciencedaily.com/images/scidaily-logo-rss.png https://www.sciencedaily.com/news/earth_climate/coral_reefs/ For more science news, visit ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260212025554.htm Coral reefs, worth an estimated $9.8 trillion a year to humanity, are in far worse shape than previously realized. A massive international study found that during the 2014–2017 global marine heatwave, more than half of the world’s reefs suffered significant bleaching, and many experienced large-scale coral death. Thu, 12 Feb 2026 07:55:48 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260212025554.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260103155030.htm Overfished coral reefs are producing far less food than they could. Researchers found that letting reef fish populations recover could boost sustainable fish yields by nearly 50%, creating millions of extra meals each year. Countries with high hunger and nutrient deficiencies would benefit the most. Rebuilding reefs could turn ocean conservation into a powerful tool against global hunger. Sun, 04 Jan 2026 02:09:19 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260103155030.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251211100618.htm A sudden, unexplained mass die-off is decimating sea urchins around the world, including catastrophic losses in the Canary Islands. Key reef-grazing species are reaching historic lows, and their ability to reproduce has nearly halted in some regions. Scientists suspect a pathogen but haven’t yet confirmed the culprit. The fate of these reefs may hinge on solving this unfolding pandemic. Fri, 12 Dec 2025 04:28:03 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251211100618.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251120002832.htm Experts say the ocean could help absorb carbon dioxide, but today’s technologies are too uncertain to be scaled up safely. New findings released during COP30 highlight the risks of rushing into marine carbon removal without proper monitoring and verification. With the 1.5°C threshold approaching, researchers stress that emissions cuts must remain the top priority. Ocean-based methods may play a role later, but they need careful oversight first. Thu, 20 Nov 2025 01:52:08 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251120002832.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251108012850.htm Scientists have discovered that deep-sea mining plumes can strip vital nutrition from the ocean’s twilight zone, replacing natural food with nutrient-poor sediment. The resulting “junk food” effect could starve life across entire marine ecosystems. Sat, 08 Nov 2025 02:37:59 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251108012850.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251029002920.htm Global scientists warn that humanity is on the verge of crossing irreversible climate thresholds, with coral reefs already at their tipping point and polar ice sheets possibly beyond recovery. The Global Tipping Points Report 2025 reveals how rising temperatures could trigger a cascade of system collapses, from the Amazon rainforest turning to savanna to the potential shutdown of the Atlantic Ocean circulation. Wed, 29 Oct 2025 04:26:38 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251029002920.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251029002851.htm Researchers at QUT uncovered how corals reattach to reefs through a three-phase process involving tissue transformation, anchoring, and skeleton formation. Differences among species reveal why some corals grow and attach faster than others. Intriguingly, corals even digest their own tissue to heal and prepare for attachment. This insight could make coral restoration projects more precise and successful. Wed, 29 Oct 2025 04:08:50 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251029002851.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251013040325.htm Humanity has reached the first Earth system tipping point, the widespread death of warm-water coral reefs, marking the beginning of irreversible planetary shifts. As global temperatures move beyond 1.5°C, the world risks cascading crises such as ice sheet melt, Amazon rainforest dieback, and ocean current collapse. Scientists from the University of Exeter warn that these interconnected tipping points could transform the planet unless urgent, systemic action triggers “positive tipping points,” like rapid renewable energy adoption. Mon, 13 Oct 2025 10:18:19 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251013040325.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251007081819.htm Marine heatwaves can jam the ocean’s natural carbon conveyor belt, preventing carbon from reaching the deep sea. Researchers studying two major heatwaves in the Gulf of Alaska found that plankton shifts caused carbon to build up near the surface instead of sinking. This disrupted the ocean’s ability to store carbon for millennia and intensified climate feedbacks. The study highlights the urgent need for continuous, collaborative ocean observation. Tue, 07 Oct 2025 08:18:19 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251007081819.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250905112308.htm Scientists found that Red Sea corals can endure warming seas but grow much smaller and weaken under long-term heat stress. Though recovery is possible in cooler months, rising global temperatures may outpace their resilience, endangering reefs and the people who depend on them. Fri, 05 Sep 2025 13:12:47 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250905112308.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250825234019.htm Researchers uncovered that the Maui wildfires caused a spike in deaths far higher than reported, with hidden fatalities linked to fire, smoke, and lack of medical access. They warn that prevention rooted in Native Hawaiian ecological knowledge is critical to avoiding another tragedy. Mon, 25 Aug 2025 23:57:00 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250825234019.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250820000805.htm Kelp forests bounce back faster from marine heatwaves when shielded inside Marine Protected Areas. UCLA researchers found that fishing restrictions and predator protection strengthen ecosystem resilience, though results vary by location. Wed, 20 Aug 2025 11:07:15 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250820000805.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250726234426.htm Mesopelagic fish, long overlooked in ocean chemistry, are now proven to excrete carbonate minerals much like their shallow-water counterparts—despite living in dark, high-pressure depths. Using the deep-dwelling blackbelly rosefish, researchers have demonstrated that carbonate production is consistent across ocean layers, bolstering global carbon cycle models. These findings reveal that these abundant fish play a hidden but crucial role in regulating Earth’s ocean chemistry and could reshape how we understand deep-sea contributions to climate processes. Sun, 27 Jul 2025 09:07:34 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250726234426.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250720034018.htm A scorching marine heatwave from 2014 to 2016 devastated the Pacific coast, shaking ecosystems from plankton to whales and triggering mass die-offs, migrations, and fishery collapses. Researchers synthesized findings from over 300 studies, revealing the far-reaching impacts of rising ocean temperatures. Kelp forests withered, species shifted north, and iconic marine animals perished—offering a chilling preview of the future oceans under climate change. This sweeping event calls for urgent action in marine conservation and climate mitigation. Mon, 21 Jul 2025 02:44:41 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250720034018.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250716000851.htm Hawaiian coral reefs may face unprecedented ocean acidification within 30 years, driven by carbon emissions. A new study by University of Hawai‘i researchers shows that even under conservative climate scenarios, nearshore waters will change more drastically than reefs have experienced in thousands of years. Some coral species may adapt, offering a glimmer of hope, but others may face critical stress. Wed, 16 Jul 2025 23:51:08 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250716000851.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250602155513.htm New research adds to our understanding of how rapidly rising sea levels due to climate change foreshadow the end of the Great Barrier Reef as we know it. The findings suggest the reef can withstand rising sea levels in isolation but is vulnerable to associated environmental stressors arising from global climate change. Mon, 02 Jun 2025 15:55:13 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250602155513.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250530123950.htm While scientists have long studied currents of large eddies, the smaller ones -- called submesoscale eddies -- are notoriously difficult to detect. These currents, which range from several kilometers to 100 kilometers wide, have been the 'missing pieces' of the ocean's puzzle -- until now. Using data from the new Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite, scientists finally got a clear view of these hard-to-see currents, and they are a lot stronger than anyone thought. Fri, 30 May 2025 12:39:50 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250530123950.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250529124114.htm Reducing travel speeds and using an intelligent queuing system at busy ports can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from oceangoing container vessels by 16-24%, according to researchers. Not only would those relatively simple interventions reduce emissions from a major, direct source of greenhouse gases, the technology to implement these measures already exists. Thu, 29 May 2025 12:41:14 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250529124114.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250528150650.htm This study measured the growth rate of coral reefs in Honaunau Bay, Hawaii, using on-site data gathering and aerial imagery. Researchers found that the reefs are being eroded by sea urchin populations which have exploded due to overfishing in the area. The reefs are also threatened by climate change and water pollution, and their growth rates are not fast enough to counteract the erosion caused by the urchins. Wed, 28 May 2025 15:06:50 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250528150650.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250521125256.htm MIT and WHOI scientists have unveiled SeaSplat, a system that makes underwater scenes look as if the ocean had been drained away. The tool cancels out water’s distortions and builds true-color 3D worlds that can be explored from any angle. This breakthrough could let marine biologists virtually “swim” through coral reefs to track bleaching and biodiversity with unprecedented clarity. Wed, 21 May 2025 12:52:56 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250521125256.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250516165152.htm A new study reveals that heat-tolerant symbiotic algae may be essential to saving elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) -- a foundational species in Caribbean reef ecosystems -- from the devastating impacts of marine heatwaves and coral bleaching. Fri, 16 May 2025 16:51:52 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250516165152.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250515131745.htm A new study shows that seagrass ecosystems along the northern half of Florida's Gulf Coast have remained relatively healthy and undisturbed for the last several thousand years. Thu, 15 May 2025 13:17:45 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250515131745.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250514150149.htm Using advanced technology that analyzes tiny gas bubbles trapped in crystal, a team of scientists has precisely mapped how magma storage evolves as Hawaiian volcanoes age. Wed, 14 May 2025 15:01:49 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250514150149.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250514111233.htm With coral reefs in crisis due to climate change, scientists have engineered a bio-ink that could help promote coral larvae settlement and restore these underwater ecosystems before it's too late. Researchers demonstrate that the ink could boost coral settlement by more than 20 times, which they hope could contribute to rebuilding coral reefs around the world. Wed, 14 May 2025 11:12:33 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250514111233.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250505204921.htm A new study links grazing halo patterns in coral reefs, as well as those in other patchy habitats, to the spatial patterns of the shelter habitat itself. The researchers found that grazing halos are distinct when the coral is clustered but merge into each other when the coral is dispersed. Mon, 05 May 2025 20:49:21 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250505204921.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250428222135.htm New research has revealed that expected, extreme changes in India's summer monsoon could drastically hamper the Bay of Bengal's ability to support a crucial element of the region's food supply: marine life. The scientists examined how the monsoon, which brings heavy rains to the Indian subcontinent, has influenced the Bay of Bengal's marine productivity over the past 22,000 years. Mon, 28 Apr 2025 22:21:35 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250428222135.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250409212526.htm New research revealed the remarkable chemical diversity of substances exuded by coral reefs and demonstrated that thousands of different chemicals derived from tropical corals and seaweeds are available for microbes to decompose and utilize. Wed, 09 Apr 2025 21:25:26 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250409212526.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250408121803.htm As coral bleaching and deaths become more widespread globally, experts show that over a third of restoration projects fail and might never be scalable enough to have positive effects on reef ecosystems. The results show that major barriers to effective interventions include the small scale of restoration programs, high costs per hectare, and the tendency to restore already compromised reefs that are highly vulnerable to future heat stresses. Tue, 08 Apr 2025 12:18:03 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250408121803.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250326221529.htm Coral diseases, particularly in the Caribbean, have caused major declines in coral populations, especially affecting staghorn (Acropora cervicornis) and Elkhorn (A. palmata) corals, which play a crucial role in reef ecosystems. Despite efforts to identify the pathogens that cause diseases like White Band Disease (WBD), and Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD), the specific agents remain largely unknown. Coral restoration programs aim to restore these once abundant coral species, but the effectiveness is threatened by multiple stressors, including increases in disease frequency and nutrient pollution caused from runoff from land-based activities. Wed, 26 Mar 2025 22:15:29 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250326221529.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250318141252.htm The red coral colonies that were transplanted a decade ago on the seabed of the Medes Islands have survived successfully. They are very similar to the original communities and have contributed to the recovery of the functioning of the coral reef, a habitat where species usually grow very slowly. Thus, these colonies, seized years ago from illegal fishing, have found a second chance to survive, thanks to restoration actions to transplant seized corals and mitigate the impact of poaching. Tue, 18 Mar 2025 14:12:52 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250318141252.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250311121307.htm Researchers combine acoustic monitoring with a neural network to identify fish activity on coral reefs by sound. They trained the network to sort through the deluge of acoustic data automatically, analyzing audio recordings in real time. Their algorithm can match the accuracy of human experts in deciphering acoustical trends on a reef, but it can do so more than 25 times faster, and it could change the way ocean monitoring and research is conducted. Tue, 11 Mar 2025 12:13:07 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250311121307.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250306122921.htm Researchers have found that reef fish from the Arabian Gulf, the world's hottest sea, exhibit a higher tolerance to temperature fluctuations compared to those from more thermally stable coral reefs. However, the Arabian Gulf hosts fewer fish species overall, indicating that only certain fishes can withstand rising global temperatures. Thu, 06 Mar 2025 12:29:21 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250306122921.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250226142614.htm Shark sightings by scuba divers reveal the movements of marine predators throughout the year, according to a new study. Wed, 26 Feb 2025 14:26:14 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250226142614.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250224155119.htm Crab behavior suggestive of wound-tending may improve coral tolerance to heat waves. Mon, 24 Feb 2025 15:51:19 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250224155119.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250220164506.htm Biologists, using a technique that explores both genes and structural characteristics, have introduced 10 new species of marine sponge. Despite their distinction as one of Earth's oldest lifeforms and the key role they play in sustaining coral reef ecosystems, marine sponges are vastly understudied. Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:45:06 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250220164506.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250213143312.htm A new study by marine biologists reports that seals can essentially act as 'smart sensors' for monitoring fish populations in the ocean's eerily dim 'twilight zone.' Thu, 13 Feb 2025 14:33:12 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250213143312.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250212192452.htm Researchers are designing a global real-time monitoring system to help save the world's coral reefs from further decline, primarily due to bleaching caused by global warming. Wed, 12 Feb 2025 19:24:52 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250212192452.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250210231817.htm It's 1999, the 21st century is on the horizon, and California has big plans for marine conservation. New legislation has presented a mandate to establish an ambitious network of marine protected areas (MPAs) unlike anywhere else in the world. The goal is to craft strategic protections to safeguard the state's marine life for preservation and economic benefits alike. Mon, 10 Feb 2025 23:18:17 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250210231817.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250206164729.htm Scientists have developed a novel tool designed to protect and conserve coral reefs by providing them with an abundance of feeding opportunities. Thu, 06 Feb 2025 16:47:29 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250206164729.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250206113725.htm An international team of researchers introduces a promising new initiative in marine conservation, dubbed 'Marine Prosperity Areas.' This science-informed effort goes beyond protecting marine life -- it uses targeted financial investments to prioritize human well-being, uplift communities, and create a sustainable blue economy. Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:37:25 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250206113725.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250205224031.htm A new study of the Great Barrier Reef has revealed that the network of no-take marine reserves supplies nearly half of the region's coral trout fishery catch. Wed, 05 Feb 2025 22:40:31 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250205224031.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250121130051.htm Marine scientists highlights the complex interplay between heat stress, disease onset and coral mortality. They found that 66 percent of the colonies were bleached by February 2024 and 80 per cent by April. By July, 44 percent of the bleached colonies had died, with some coral genera, such as Acropora, experiencing a staggering 95 percent mortality rate. Tue, 21 Jan 2025 13:00:51 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250121130051.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250114125247.htm Life on the Great Barrier Reef is undergoing big changes in the face of climate change and other human-caused pressures, a new study reveals. From food security to controlling seaweed and even making sand for beaches, reef fish are a hugely important part of marine ecosystems providing a range of benefits to humans and coral reef ecosystems. New research reveals significant transformations in fish communities on the Great Barrier Reef, the World's largest coral reef ecosystem. Tue, 14 Jan 2025 12:52:47 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250114125247.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250110122037.htm To help rare elkhorn corals survive in Florida waters, coral researchers should place them in shallow ocean locations with fast currents, scientists explained in a recent publication. Fri, 10 Jan 2025 12:20:37 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250110122037.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241219151907.htm A new study examines the correlation between fish yield and live coral habitats. Researchers analyzed the yields of nine fisheries dependent on Australia's Great Barrier Reef from 2016 to 2020. Results show that substantial losses could occur if the restoration of coral reefs is not prioritized. Thu, 19 Dec 2024 15:19:07 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241219151907.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241218132400.htm Researchers recently discovered that a virus, FloV-SA2, encodes one of the proteins needed to make ribosomes, the central engines in all cells that translate genetic information into proteins, the building blocks of life. This is the first eukaryotic virus (a virus that infects eukaryotes, such as plants, animals, fungi) found to encode such a protein. Wed, 18 Dec 2024 13:24:00 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241218132400.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241218132134.htm Artificial light can wake sleeping fish and attract predators, changing nighttime coral reef communities, according to new research using novel underwater infrared cameras. Wed, 18 Dec 2024 13:21:34 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241218132134.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241216184732.htm A new study reveals corals must be within only a few meters of each other to successfully reproduce, leaving them vulnerable in a warming world. Mon, 16 Dec 2024 18:47:32 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241216184732.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241212145713.htm Colony surveys of common murres, an Alaskan seabird, show the full effects of the 2014-16 marine heat wave known as 'the blob.' Analysis of 13 colonies surveyed between 2008 and 2022 finds that colony size in the Gulf of Alaska dropped by half after the marine heat wave. In colonies along the eastern Bering Sea, west of the peninsula, the decline was even steeper, at 75% loss. No recovery has yet been seen, the authors write. Thu, 12 Dec 2024 14:57:13 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241212145713.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/11/241128200737.htm Coral adaptation to ocean warming and marine heatwaves will likely be overwhelmed without rapid reductions of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to an international team of scientists. Thu, 28 Nov 2024 20:07:37 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/11/241128200737.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/11/241120193029.htm The tropical coastlines of Southeast Asia are home to some of the most important and biodiverse marine ecosystems on the planet. But as well as being essential to communities along these coastlines, fishing and tourism were found -- in new research conducted by an international study team -- to be among the most damaging from an environmental perspective. Wed, 20 Nov 2024 19:30:29 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/11/241120193029.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/11/241116195740.htm Fish stocks along the West African coast have declined significantly over the past five decades, threatening food security and the livelihoods of the fishing communities that depend on them, according to a new study. Sat, 16 Nov 2024 19:57:40 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/11/241116195740.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/11/241112191018.htm Coral larvae reduce their metabolism and increase nitrogen uptake to resist bleaching in high temperatures, according to a new study. Tue, 12 Nov 2024 19:10:18 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/11/241112191018.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241031185322.htm Oceanographers showed that eddies on the leeward side of the Hawaiian Islands can supply nutrients, not only locally, but also to the opposite side of the island chain and stimulate blooms of phytoplankton. Thu, 31 Oct 2024 18:53:22 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241031185322.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241030150643.htm In the face of increased human pressures and climate change, a team of scientists have launched a new online tool to assist marine managers and restoration experts to bolster the resilience of marine habitat-forming species. The 'Reef Adapt' initiative aims to expand the tools available to promote diverse, adaptable and resilient ecosystems. Wed, 30 Oct 2024 15:06:43 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241030150643.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241029120755.htm Weddell seals in Erebus Bay, Antarctica, may look like couch potatoes when they are resting on ice. However, these seals, which are the southernmost population of the southernmost living mammals, are exceptional divers that can reach depths of more than 900 meters and recorded dives lasting 96 minutes, which is well beyond their aerobic threshold. Scientists have identified an optimal and novel dive foraging strategy the seals employ to capture prey in the highly seasonal Antarctic environment with its rapidly changing light regimes. In this optimal foraging strategy, the seals typically strategically conduct their deepest, longest, most extreme dives earlier than solar noon, rather than during peak foraging times at midday. Extreme dives require seals to have longer recuperation times once they return to the surface, and so cuts into their foraging time. By conducting these dives early in the day, the seals can better take advantage of peak midday foraging times, according to the researchers. Tue, 29 Oct 2024 12:07:55 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241029120755.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241023130930.htm Healthy coral reefs echo with a chorus of grunts and purrs from fish feeding, looking for mates, or defending their territories, underscored by the persistent crackling of snapping shrimp. Larval corals use these sounds as cues to decide where to choose a home. The researchers found that now a second species of coral larvae responded to the sounds of a healthy reef played through a speaker, indicating 'acoustic enrichment' encourages coral to settle has the potential to be a widely applicable method among coral species for reef restoration. Golfball coral larvae settled at significantly higher rates when exposed to the sounds of a healthy reef during their first 36 hours in the water. After that window, sound had little effect. Coral reefs support more than a quarter of all marine animals, protect coastlines from strong waves and storms, and provide food and tourism opportunities for millions of people around the world. Researchers estimate that 25% of all coral reefs have been lost in the last 30 years. Wed, 23 Oct 2024 13:09:30 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241023130930.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241023130756.htm A research team has used nitrogen isotope analysis to demonstrate that 385 million years old corals from the Eifel and Sauerland regions had symbionts. This finding represents the earliest evidence of photosymbiosis in corals. Photosymbiosis might explain why ancient coral reefs grew to massive sizes despite being in nutrient-poor environments. Wed, 23 Oct 2024 13:07:56 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241023130756.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241018131354.htm A new study has found that oceanographic connectivity (the movement and exchange of water between different parts of the ocean) is a key influence for fish abundance across the Western Indian Ocean (WIO). Connectivity particularly impacted herbivorous reef fish groups, which are most critical to coral reef resilience, providing evidence that decision-makers should incorporate connectivity into how they prioritize conservation areas. Fri, 18 Oct 2024 13:13:54 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241018131354.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241018131215.htm Scientists found that from 1995-2021, occupancy of boulder habitats by lobsters dropped 60%. Meanwhile, the number of lobsters residing in sediment or featureless ledge habitats increased 633% and 280%, respectively. Lobster population density across all types of habitats declined too, but the mean size of an adult lobster was greater in 2021 than in 1996. Fri, 18 Oct 2024 13:12:15 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241018131215.htm