Advancing Ocean Monitoring Near Coral Reefs
Scott F. Heron
Coral Reef Watch (CRW), NOAA, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, James Cook University (JCU), Townsville, Queensland, Australia
Search for more papers by this authorCraig R. Steinberg
AIMS, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
AIMS@JCU, JCU
Search for more papers by this authorMal L. Heron
Australian Coastal Ocean Radar Network (ACORN), Marine Geophysical Laboratory (MGL), JCU
Search for more papers by this authorWilliam J. Skirving
Coral Reef Watch (CRW), NOAA, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
Search for more papers by this authorScott F. Heron
Coral Reef Watch (CRW), NOAA, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, James Cook University (JCU), Townsville, Queensland, Australia
Search for more papers by this authorCraig R. Steinberg
AIMS, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
AIMS@JCU, JCU
Search for more papers by this authorMal L. Heron
Australian Coastal Ocean Radar Network (ACORN), Marine Geophysical Laboratory (MGL), JCU
Search for more papers by this authorWilliam J. Skirving
Coral Reef Watch (CRW), NOAA, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
Corals, the foundation of tropical marine ecosystems, exist in a symbiotic relationship with zooxanthellae (algae). The corals obtain much of their energy by consuming compounds derived from photosynthesis by these microorganisms; the microorganisms, which reside in the coral tissue, in turn use waste products from the corals to sustain photosynthesis. This symbiosis is very sensitive to subtle changes in environment, such as increased ocean acidity, temperature, and light. When unduly stressed, the colorful algae are expelled from the corals, causing the corals to “bleach” and potentially die [e.g., van Oppen and Lough, 2009].
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