This process is the cause of coral bleaching and is well known to scientists, but few large-scale studies have dealt with its effects on the structure of communities of hundreds of species of reef ...

Zooxanthellae is coral’s primary food source, but also saturates the structure of the coral that it uses for protection with color—typically a light golden brown, but patches of red ...

The standalone structure, formed from a "complex network" of tiny coral polyps, has likely been growing for 300 years or more, the researchers said. At about 111 feet wide and 104 feet long ...

Coral secretes calcium carbonate, creating a sort-of concrete around itself that becomes the structure for the reef. But that process can take "hundreds and thousands of years," Brosnan said.

The primary climactic threat to coral is called bleaching. Coral polyps, the animals that build the reef structure itself, live in a symbiotic partnership with colorful algae, which provide food.

Beyond the loss of a thriving underwater ecosystem, coral death can degrade reef structure and leave communities vulnerable to flooding hazards, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Restoring reef substrate is an essential step to recover damaged reefs that have become unsuitable for coral populations to settle. The new reef structure installed on Thursday will provide new ...

A new study of coral reefs in Papua New Guinea shows ocean acidification simplifies coral structure, making crucial habitat less appealing to certain fish species. While much media attention has ...