Discover the resources | The Coral Portal

Delve into a variety of resources designed to enhance your understanding of corals, habitats and the species linked to them.

Climate Change Effect on reef Associated Species

Storyboard on Climate Change Impacts on Reef Associated Species

Deep Sea Soft Corals

A storyboard about Deep Sea Soft Corals (Callogorgia sp.) from the Gulf of Mexico.

Ancient Deep Water Corals

A storyboard about ancient Deep-Sea Corals (Leiopathes sp.) from the Gulf of Mexico.

Orange Sea Fans

Orange sea fans (Swiftia exserta) or red polyp octocoral occur throughout the west Atlantic in fairly deep (e.g., 60 to 1600 feet) and nutrient-rich waters along coastal areas with moderate currents.

Black Corals

Black corals (or Antipatharians) are a group of branching corals often associated with deep reef habitats. Although their exterior flesh is usually red, white, or orange, their internal skeleton is black.

Gulf Examples of Climate Change

A storyboard highlights specific examples of how climate change affecting coral reefs species in the Gulf from information available in the scientific literature.

Causes of Coral Reef Decline

Climate change (warmer oceans), ocean acidification, invasive species, pollution, and overfishing are factors that threaten the health of our coral reefs.

Life History of ESA Corals

This story board explores what life history means and why it is important, how life history and climate change are linked, how climate change is impacting these ESA-listed corals,

Threatened Corals in the Gulf of Mexico

In this story board we will highlight the individual life history and threats specific to shallow water coral species listed as threatened in the Gulf of Mexico.

Reasons for Coral Reef Decline

While corals have been resilient to changing oceans throughout time, oceans are changing at an unprecedented rate. Slow-growing corals may not be able to adapt quickly enough to survive so much variablity.

Lophelia pertusa: A Closer Look

Lophelia pertusa is a prominent deep-sea coral in the Gulf of Mexico and one that plays a significant role in the designation of Habitat Areas of Particular Concern.

A closer look at the Ivory Tree Coral

The ivory tree coral (Oculina varicosa) can be found in shallow and deep waters. In shallow waters, it is often patchily distributed on coarse shelly reef. However, in deeper water, it can occur as a massive, bush-like aggregation.

Creatures of the Deep

This interactive poster highlighted information about deep sea species in the Gulf which included information about their geographic distribution, depth profile and background information.

Ecosystems of the Deep

This interactive poster highlighted information about deep sea ecosystems in the Gulf which included information about various ecosystems, their geographic distribution, and background information about some species.

Deep-water Coral in the Gulf of Mexico

Deep-water corals are some of the strangest habitats on earth. These corals live at depths of 1000 feet or more where sunlight does not penetrate and where water temperatures can be near freezing.

Let Us Talk Closed Areas

Did you know that as of March 2011, the Gulf of Mexico had 295 marine protected areas? This storyboard aims discussing topics like what is a marine protected area, closed area enforcement and education, and who manages what?

Coral Reef Management

This storyboard gives a brief look into how the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council manages corals throughout the Gulf of Mexico.

NOAA Southeast Deep Coral Initiative

Want to go for a swim? How about down around 1,300 feet? To learn more about what kinds of creatures can be found deep in the Gulf of Mexico, check how ROVs are used to gather exactly that information.

The Gulf of Mexico Ecocystem

The Gulf of Mexico is considered a large marine ecosystem, and managers are charged with managing the resources within it.

Lionfish the Invasion

The spread of lionfish has been fast, and now they are threatening fishery resources and the health of corals in the Gulf of Mexico.

Goliath Grouper

Goliath grouper are the largest grouper in the Gulf of Mexico; reaching 8 feet in length and weighing up to 850 lbs.