Coral disease is emerging as a major factor in the degradation of many coral reefs, and surveys indicate that significant and damaging new diseases are emerging. Coral diseases potentially affect both well-managed and unmanaged reefs indiscriminately. Strategies for managing disease outbreaks are currently lacking. The increasing frequency of diseases affecting and altering reef communities means… Continue Reading Gulf of Mexico Coral Disease Dashboard
Reef-building corals are increasingly being exposed to persistent threats that operate on both regional and global scales, and there is a need to better understand the complex processes that diminish coral populations. The majority of the scientific literature on threats to corals were focused on climatic stressors. There are limited studies that provide perspective on… Continue Reading Non-climatic stressors for corals in the Gulf
Deep-water corals are some of the strangest habitats on earth. These corals live at depths of 1000 feet or more where sunlight doesn’t penetrate and where water temperatures can be near freezing. Traditional coral reefs are mostly made up of stony corals, but in the deep ocean, octocorals, black corals and stony corals all thrive.… Continue Reading Deep-water Coral in the Gulf of Mexico
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. Oculina reefs typically occur in regions on the shelf edge where water flows upward from depth. It… Continue Reading A closer look at the Ivory Tree Coral
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. So, it’s going to be the first in a series of deep-water corals we’ll be profiling in storyboards.We’re going to dig in a little deeper to find out… Continue Reading Lophelia pertusa: A Closer Look
