ARTICLES
Meet the Super Corals that can handle Acid, Heat and Suffocation (continued)
Whilst we are still just in the early stages of understanding precisely
the way these corals can aid conservation, extreme mangrove
coral populations are found to hold a reservoir of stress-hardened
corals. Notably, although the geographic size of these mangrove
locations is quite small, they do have a disproportionately high
conservation value for reef systems.
However, the identification of these pockets of extremely tolerant
corals is also challenging to our understanding of coral resilience,
and the rate and extent with which coral species can resist stress.
The Science Teachers’ Association of NSW and “Science
Education News” sincerely thank ‘The Conversation’ for
encouraging republication of articles such as this one, all having
been written by academics or PhD students who are experts in
their fields. SEN is also most grateful to the authors of this article,
Emma F. Camp and Dr David Suggett, for their support of this
policy by allowing this really important article to be republished
here. – Ed.
Mangrove lagoons can contain coral that survives in extremely
hostile environments, while nearby coral reefs bleach in marine
heatwaves. Em.webp
While coral cover was often low, and the rate at which they build
their skeleton was reduced, there were established coral colonies
capable of surviving in these conditions.
The success of these corals reflects their ability to adapt to daily
or weekly conditions, and also their flexible relationship with
various symbiotic micro-algae that provide the coral with several
essential resources.
58
SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL NEWS VOL 68 NO 4