ed algal partners need to withstand the high seawater temperatures," said Dr Wiedenmann who led the study.
But the scientists were surprised to discover that the algae in Gulf corals belong to a group not known for its thermal tolerance.
"We see that the algae are indeed special but in a way that we did not expect," said Dr Wiedenmann. "The algae that we found in most of the corals in Abu Dhabi reefs were previously described as a 'generalist strain' that is usually not found in corals exposed to high levels of heat stress."
"The system seems to be more complex than it is commonly thought but now we are in an excellent position to tackle these important questions."
The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) has recently granted funding to Dr Wiedenmann and the Coral Reef Laboratory, so that the team can do just that. The researchers will build on their previous findings and use their model corals to investigate the molecular mechanisms that allow corals to thrive at extreme temperatures.
Already around 30 per cent of coral reefs are severely damaged and more than half of coral reefs worldwide may be lost within the near future because of global warming. A better understanding of how corals respond to rising sea temperatures is important for predicting the fate of coral reefs and to optimise reef conservation.
"Gulf corals are living at the limit of their tolerance," said co-author Professor John Burt from the New York University Abu Dhabi. "We have observed an increased frequency of coral bleaching events in this area, and we need to act now to protect and understand these ecosystems that hold the answers to many important climate change related questions."
The study was published in the journal Marine Pollution Bulletin as part of a special issue on coral ecosystems of the Gulf that was initiated during the first NYUAD "Coral Reefs of the Gulf" conference in 2012.
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| Contact: Catherine Beswick catherine.beswick@noc.ac.uk National Oceanography Centre, Southampton (UK) Source:Eurekalert |
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