by Deirdre HSeveral new species of coral have been discovered by scientist in Hawaii, thousands of feet below the ocean’s surface. One of the discoverers believes “the potential for more discoveries is high.” University of Hawaii Scientist, Christopher Kelley.
These are important discoveries because deep-sea corals support diverse sea floor ecosystems and their growth rings can provide views of how deep-ocean conditions change. Coral is one of the first organisms to be affected by ocean acidification. Acidification is a change in the oceans chemistry because of excess carbon dioxide.
“Studying these corals can help us understand how they survive for such long periods of time, as well as how they may respond to climate change in the future”
Reflection Questions:
1. What else can coral tell us about changes in the ocean?
2. Are there any major positive/negative effects of ocean acidification?
3. Is there any way to reverse, slow, or fix ocean acidification?
