Beneath the soft bodies of scleractinian, or stony corals, polyps secrete a calcium carbonate skeleton, and it is this skeleton that becomes the foundation of coral reef ecosystems. Coral colonies ...

With too few tritons on the reef, crown-of-thorns starfish populations can explode, jeopardizing the living coral that makes up reefs. Covered with long, venomous spikes, the crown-of-thorns ...

Coral reef ecosystems are generally high in biodiversity, most often found in shallow tropical seas, and are threatened by factors including ocean acidification, global warming and sea level rise.

In the coastal seas episode, we see the devastating scenes of coral bleaching – how whole reef ecosystems which once teamed with life, are now dead, white and derelict. But what exactly is coral ...

And yet, with ocean temperatures rising, coral reefs are disappearing at an alarming rate. Learn more about the Coral Reef Rescue Initiative, a partnership to safeguard globally significant coral ...

This grows by up to 10 centimetres a year and the coral develops into various shapes and sizes ... corals gradually build up the complex three-dimensional structure of a reef. This habitable ...

Corals are found in all of Earth's oceans, from tropical to freezing temperatures, however they only build coral reefs in warm, shallow seas in the tropics. Among the biggest and best-known are the ...

He captured the Great Barrier Reef during its latest—and most devastating—mass die-off, and documented how coral off the coast of Belize had partially recovered thanks to a no-fishing zone.

Coral reefs protect coastlines from strong currents, waves and tropical storms, and reef fish feed local populations with a valuable source of protein. There are many threats to the biodiversity ...

The Great Barrier Reef is not just an Australian icon—it is a vital ecosystem that supports over 1,500 species of fish, 400 species of coral, and countless other marine organisms.

Western Australia’s Ningaloo has experienced the highest level of heat stress ever recorded, while coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef has been detected from Townsville to Cape York ...

A recent survey of 21 sites across the Ningaloo Reef suggests a coral death rate between 1 to 5 per cent. Bleaching old-growth corals have highlighted the extent of the damage. Scientists say a ...