Coral Reef Bleaching - Marine Biology Learning Center.
Ocean warming increases the incidence of coral bleaching, which reduces or eliminates the nutrition corals receive from their algal symbionts, often resulting in widespread mortality. In contrast to extensive knowledge on the thermal tolerance of coral-associated symbionts, the role of the coral host in bleaching patterns across species is poorly understood.
Mass bleaching has resulted in significant losses of live coral in many parts of the world. This paper considers the biochemical, physiological and ecological perspectives of coral bleaching. It also uses the outputs of four runs from three models of global climate change which simulate changes in sea temperature and hence how the frequency and intensity of bleaching events will change over.
Coral cover has been declining in recent decades due to increased temperatures and environmental stressors. However, the extent to which different stressors contribute both individually and in concert to bleaching and mortality is still very uncertain. We develop and use a novel regression approach, using non-linear parametric models that control for unobserved time invariant effects to.
Coral bleaching threatens the diversity of reef fish. The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is revered for its kaleidoscope of colour. But research shows that coral bleaching not only whitewashes corals, but can also reduce the variety of fish occupying these highly-valued ecosystems. Laura Richardson, a marine biologist at the University of Exeter, found that the warming of the oceans which bleaches.
Coral bleaching occurs when coral polyps expel algae that live inside their tissues. Normally, coral polyps live in an endosymbiotic relationship with these algae, which are crucial for the health of the coral and the reef. The algae provides up to 90 percent of the coral's energy. Bleached corals continue to live but begin to starve after bleaching.
Hendee JC, Mueller E, Humphrey C, Moore T (2001) A data-driven expert system for producing coral bleaching alerts at Sombrero reef in the Florida Keys, USA. Bulletin of Marine Science 69(2): 673-684. Hoegh-Guldberg O (1999) Climate change, coral bleaching and the future of the world’s coral reefs. Marine and Freshwater Research 50: 839-866.
Introduction. Coral reefs are one of the most biodiverse, complex and productive ecosystems on Earth 1, 2.Over the last decades, rising sea surface temperatures, owing to global warming, have triggered unprecedented mass bleaching events, during which corals lose their symbiotic algae and then undergo nutrient starvation, decreased growth and possible mortality (e.g.) 3.