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An understanding of #CoralBleaching due to increase in temperature. #ClimateChange
This morning I went to explore our corals again with new eyes after reading the book “Climate Change Biology” last night. There is a whole chapter on the effects of Climate change on marine ecosystem.
An extract : “the exact mechanism of coral mortality at high temperatures, is driven by a species interaction. Zooxanthellae are algae symbionts of corals that live within the coral polyp. These symbionts photosynthesize, nourishing the coral, while the coral provides a skeletal structure that keeps the zooxanthellae near the surface, where light for photosynthesis is abundant. At very high temperatures, the symbiosis breaks down and the coral expels the zooxanthellae. Without the photosynthetic pigments of their algal symbionts, the coral turns white or “bleaches.” Some bleached corals regain their zooxanthellae and recover, but many die. Reef-building corals therefore have both thermal and ocean chemistry limits to their distribution, with species interactions, in this case in the form of symbiosis, determining the exact upper thermal limit of survival.” Again I am not a Marine Biologist but with my field study this morning and focussing on bleached corals instead of focussing on our tropical fish whilst snorkelling I have now a better understanding.
Another public holiday in #Mauritius today.01.02.19
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