Rising Temperatures Have Devasted Coral Reefs Except One

A 44-year old study shows that the amount of living coral has not changed in Eastern Tropical Pacific. 

We all know the rise in temperatures has devasted many forms both on land and sea. But a recent study in Global Change Biology has discovered that the reefs in the Eastern Tropical Pacific are an exception. The research senior author says that "Live coral cover has gone up and down in response to El Niño-induced bleaching, but unlike reefs elsewhere in the Caribbean and Indo Pacific, reefs in the ETP almost always bounce back,".

ETP reefs, eastern tropical pacific, reefs

The study was conducted by an international team of researchers led by Dr. Mauricio Romero-Torres of the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and Unidad Nacional para la Gestión del Riesgo de Desastres (the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management or UNGRD) in Bogotá, Colombia. 

The researchers have examined the coral area which stretches from Baja California to the Galapagos Islands, from 1970-2014. During this time, ETP has experienced several El Nino events - where the waters have reached unusually high temperatures. These rise in temperatures can kill the symbiotic algae, leading to the widespread of coral bleaching.

But the ETP reefs bounced back within 10-15 years, several factors allowed them to recover very fastly.

Firstly, the corals in this area are mostly pocilloporids, a type of coral that reproduces at high rates. They also contain species of symbiotic algae that are particularly tolerant of severe temperatures. 

Secondly, another important factor may be "ecological memory," meaning that ETP corals may have become conditioned to heat stress over the years, through mechanisms such as genetic adaptation and epigenetic inheritance, whereby parents pass on these survival traits to their offspring.

"The key to survival for future reefs may not be immune to stress, but rather an ability to recover and regrow after stress," said Porter.

"This research teaches the relevance of doing science with FAIR standards (findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable) so that other researchers in the region can continue the work and estimate the effects of the next El Niño phenomenon on the ETP," said Romero.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sea Turtles: The Endangered Species

Image
Sea Turtles have outlived almost all the prehistoric animals once they shared the planet. Marine turtles inhabit the oceans open waters and coastal habitats, feeding on jellyfish and other aquatic plants and animals. They are the live representatives of a group of reptiles that traveled our sea for more than 100 million years.  Importance of Sea Turtles These sea turtles have been living for more than 100 million years and maintaining a fundamental link in the marine ecosystem. They maintain the health of seagrass beds and coral reefs that benefit the valuable species such as lobster, shrimp, and tuna. Having outlived million years they can hold their breath up to five hours. They also transfer the vital nutrients from oceans to beaches and dunes. The seven extant species are The Green, Loggerhead, Kemp's Ridley, Olive Ridley, Hawksbill, Flatback, and Leatherback, which are endangered. Five of the seven species are found in tropical and subtropical waters. The other two sp...
Read more

What Gives More Oxygen on Planet Earth?

Image
Everybody knows that plants and trees produce oxygen for the earth. But, do you know that oceans and seas contribute more oxygen. Produced by marine plants, algae and single-celled organisms called phytoplankton. These may not be seen by the naked eye but produce more, which is not even close to the proportions produced by the trees and plants. The ocean produces oxygen as a by-product of photosynthesis, which converts sunlight and carbon dioxide and can use as energy. One type of plankton, Prochlorococcus releases tons of oxygen into atmosphere. So small, that can millions can be present in a single drop of water. It produces 20% of the oxygen to the earth biosphere, which is more than the rainforests on land combined. Scientists mention that a single cell can give oxygen for one in every 5 breaths we take. Calculating the amounts of oxygen on oceans may vary because of the change in climate conditions, geographic location and with the tides. It is also important to remember that the...
Read more

Experiencing Georgia Aquarium

Image
Hey there, I'm Mounika and I'm here to talk about the most magical and engaging place Georgia aquarium  No matter your age, everyone is a kid at Georgia Aquarium . Home to the most amazing aquatic animals, including beluga whales, whale sharks, manta rays, penguins, sea otters, dolphins and many more. Whether it may be dolphin show or sea lion presentation or entering the zone of Predators of the Deep, everything is amazing at Georgia aquarium. Filled with 11 millions gallons of water in seven permanent galleries making home to over 100,000 animals.  The Georgia Aquarium is divided into 7 sections: Coldwater Quest, Ocean Voyager, Tropical Diver, Georgia Explorer, River Scout, Predators of the Deep and Dolphin Tales. Ocean Voyager is the largest exhibit with 100-foot underwater tunnels and one of the largest viewing windows.  There's so much to see in Georgia Aquarium. I spent half a day roaming and getting mesmerized by the amazing creatures. Located in Downtown Atlanta a...
Read more