Coral reefs are one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet. What are the abiotic and biotic interactions that structure this diverse ecosystem? Corals are members of the phylum Cnidaria, a ...

The ring-shaped coral islands known as atolls, like this one in the Maldives Islands in the Indian Ocean, may trace their formation to sea levels repeatedly rising and falling over hundreds of ...

Coral reefs, once thriving underwater cities teeming with life, now face an unprecedented crisis. Scientists have declared that coral reefs have become the first major environmental system on Earth to ...

Tropical coral reefs cover less than 1% of the seafloor, yet support 25% of all marine species. They are also incredibly vulnerable. Over the past few decades, an estimated 30%-50% have already been ...

Mass coral bleaching occurs when unusually warm ocean temperatures disrupt the partnership between corals and the microscopic algae that supply most of their energy, leaving corals weakened and often ...

Coral reefs around the world are losing their color at an unprecedented scale as a result of rising sea temperatures, federal marine scientists announced this week, with 84 percent of reefs exposed to ...

Coral reefs, the "rainforests of the sea," provide habitats for 25% of all marine life. Critical to global biodiversity, they are essential for food supply, culture and recreation and coastal ...