coral reefs

Probiotic Found to Slow Disease Spread Among Florida Coral

Probiotic Found to Slow Disease Spread Among Florida Coral

A beneficial bacterial probiotic is restoring hope for mitigating disease spread in corals off the coast of Florida. In a new study, scientists have investigated the effectiveness of a compound produced by the probiotic strain MCH1-7 for combating the deadly stony coral tissue loss disease. MCH1-7 was first uncovered by scientists from the Smithsonian Marine […]

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    Scientists Develop a Feeding Tool for Coral Reef Restoration

    Scientists Develop a Feeding Tool for Coral Reef Restoration

    Scientists at The Ohio State University have developed a new device known as Underwater Zooplankton Enhancement Light Array (UZELA), which will help promote more feeding sources for coral restoration. UZELA is a submersible, programmable light that can be deployed at a site for up to six months on one battery. If the devices need any […]

    Largest Known Coral Colony Discovered Near Solomon Islands

    Largest Known Coral Colony Discovered Near Solomon Islands

    The largest known coral colony in the world has been found in the southwest Pacific, near the Solomon Islands. Visible from space, the “mega coral” — a collection of tiny coral polyps forming one organism — could be over three centuries old, reported BBC News. The giant coral colony was discovered by a National Geographic […]

    Puerto Rico’s New Marine Reserve Will Protect More Than 14 Endangered Species

    Puerto Rico’s New Marine Reserve Will Protect More Than 14 Endangered Species

    After 16 years of efforts by grassroots organizations, local Puerto Rico communities are celebrating the establishment of the country’s new marine protected area (MPA), Jardines Submarinos de Vega Baja y Manatí. The new marine reserve on Puerto Rico’s north coast will protect 77 square miles of marine biodiversity, a press release from the Wildlife Conservation […]

    Ocean Warming Is Driving Sharks Out of Coral Reef Habitats, Study Finds

    Ocean Warming Is Driving Sharks Out of Coral Reef Habitats, Study Finds

    As the oceans heat up, sharks are leaving their coral reef habitats, putting both sharks and entire ecosystems at risk, scientists have found. In a new study, published in the journal Communications Biology, scientists used satellites and underwater acoustic receivers to monitor more than 120 grey reef sharks (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) in coral reefs of the […]

    National Park Foundation Receives Its Largest Grant Ever

    National Park Foundation Receives Its Largest Grant Ever

    The U.S. National Park Foundation has received a $100 million grant, the largest in the foundation’s history, from Lilly Endowment Inc., a private philanthropic foundation. The grant is also the largest ever to benefit national parks, according to the National Park Foundation. As The Associated Press reported, the grant funding will go toward the more […]

    Florida Keys Coral Practitioners Prepared to Beat the Heat

    Florida Keys Coral Practitioners Prepared to Beat the Heat

    After a devastating and hot 2023 summer, the Florida Keys coral restoration community made sure to be prepped for this year’s heat.  The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) is home to the largest coral barrier reef in the continental United States. In recent years, however, the Florida Reef Tract has suffered a “death of […]