Coral Reefs

Marine heat causes record-high coral bleaching in Lakshadweep Sea

In Lakshadweep, the Degree Heating Week (DHW) indicator, which measures accumulated heat stress, has surged above 4 °C-weeks

Explained: How coral bleaching threatens Lakshadweep's marine ecosystem

A survey across various Lakshadweep islands revealed significant bleaching in a notable portion of hard coral species, mainly attributed to a prolonged marine heatwave since late October 2023

TN announces policy to restore coastal resources, capitalise blue economy

Taking forward its pioneering initiatives in nature conservation, the Tamil Nadu government on Monday announced the 'TN-SHORE', a mission to restore coastal resources across 14 districts covering 1,076 km. Presenting the Budget Estimates for 2024-25 in the Assembly, Finance Minister Thangam Thenarasu said about Rs 1,675 crore has been sanctioned to the mission, titled 'Neithal Meetchi Iyakkam' which would enhance biodiversity by protecting coasts, improve livelihoods of local communities, and contain pollution in those areas. "This initiative will capitalise on the potential of the Blue Economy and will primarily focus on the restoration of mangroves, coral reefs, and salt marshes," he said. It will take up the conservation of mangroves besides reviving coral reefs at Kariyachalli islands in the Gulf of Mannar. Additionally, works are underway to establish a sprawling botanical garden in Kadambur, Chengalpattu, spanning 137 acres, at a cost of Rs 345 crore, in collaboration with ..

CSIR-NIO launches advance underwater vehicle to monitor coral reefs

The Goa-based CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) has launched an autonomous underwater vehicle called C-bot, a robot with advanced features for increased surveillance over the coral reefs. Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Director General Dr N Kalaiselvi launched the C-bot on Sunday and said the vehicle can travel to a depth of 200 metres underwater. This robot is the first step to building a capable underwater vehicle that can scan the depth of the Indian Ocean, she told reporters on the CSIR-NIO campus on Monday. Kalaiselvi said they plan to develop this vehicle further which will be able to travel thousands of metres in the sea. CSIR-NIO Director Sunil Kumar Singh said the C-bot will help in maintaining surveillance over the coral reefs in the ocean. He said that coral bleaching is taking place because of the climate change. "With different sensors, different cameras, the robot measures what the parameters are, and might help explain why the cor

US Navy plans to raise jet plane off Hawaii coral reef using cylinders

The U.S. Navy plans to use inflatable cylinders to lift and roll a jet plane off a coral reef in Hawaii before removal from the ocean waters where the aircraft crashed on November 20. Rear Adm. Kevin Lenox, the commander of Carrier Strike Group 3 who is leading the salvage effort, said Friday he is confident the operation can be carried out without further damaging the reef. The P-8A slammed into an environmentally sensitive bay about 10 miles (16 kilometres) from Honolulu when it overshot the runway at Marine Corps Base Hawaii. None of the nine people on board at the time were injured. The Navy is investigating the mishap. The Navy released underwater video on Wednesday showing landing gear wheels resting on parts of crushed coral and much of the rest of the plane floating above the reef in Kaneohe Bay. A Navy team already has removed nearly all of the estimated 2,000 gallons (7,500 litre) of fuel that was on the aircraft. Lenox said he expected the removal operation to get under

High ocean temperatures harming Florida coral reef, crews race to help

Steps away from the warming waters of Florida Bay, marine biologist Emily Becker removed covers from the dozens of water-filled tanks under her watchful eye. Nestled in seawater carefully maintained at about 85 degrees Fahrenheit (29 degrees Celsius) lay hundreds of pieces of coral some a sickly white from the bleaching that threatens to kill them, others recovered to a healthy bright iodine in colour. As Becker looked over the coral, crews of reef rescue groups arrived in trucks carrying more brought up by divers in a massive effort aimed at saving the coral from an ocean that is cooking it alive. People jumped into action really quickly, as best as they could, Becker said, wiping sweat from her brow. Up and down the chain of islands that form the Florida Keys, coral rescue groups and government and academic institutions have mobilized to save the coral from a historic bleaching event that experts say threatens the viability of the third-largest reef tract in the world. They've

Climate change could cause disease to 76.8% of corals by 2100: Report

When predicting future estimates of coral disease, the model suggested that the disease prevalence could reach 76.8 per cent in 2100 if temperatures continue to rise

Coral select algae partnerships to ease environmental stress: Study

In assessing one of the main reef builders in Hawai'i, Montipora capitata or rice coral, researchers found that the symbiont community in those corals varied significantly in different parts of Kaneoh

Half of world's coral reefs face climate change threat by 2035: Study

Under a worst-case scenario, half of the coral reef ecosystems worldwide will permanently face unsuitable conditions by 2035, if climate change continues unabated, according to a new study

Scientists seek to develop hybrid coral reef off of Miami shores

Scientists and students from the University of Miami dove into the dark waters a few miles off the shores of Miami this week as part of an effort to develop hybrid reefs. The team from the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science was on a mission to collect eggs and sperm from spawning staghorn coral, which they hope to use to fertilise other strains of staghorn corals in a lab. It's all part of a USD 7.5 million federal grant from the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to help address security threats to the military and civilian infrastructure along vulnerable coastal regions in Florida and the Caribbean. The Miami-based project seeks to protect coastal bases from damaging hurricane storm surge using hybrid reefs. Our mission is to develop hybrid reefs that combine the wave-protection benefits of artificial structures with the ecological benefits of coral reefs, said Andrew Baker, a professor and director of the Coral Reef Futures Lab at the Rosenst

How climate change is killing coral reef in the pristine Chagos Archipelago

Research shows marine heat waves are now about 20 times more likely than they were just four decades ago, and they tend to be hotter and last longer

Climate change could cause the next financial meltdown, suggests report

The ECB is among central banks trying to prepare for what a report warns could be a "coming economic upheaval"

Blue Planet II: Can we really halt the coral reef catastrophe?

Corals in the Gulf experience high seasonal temperatures of up to 35°C without bleaching, having adapted to these conditions over evolutionary time

Window of opportunity to save coral reefs is rapidly closing: Researchers

The team agrees that further research identifying how corals respond to climate change is critical