Some Corals are Already Adapting to Warmer Oceans

Environment





Photo credit:

Far Northern Great Barrier Reef. Line K Bay/AIMS

Coral reefs are far from just a natural beauty of the sea; they are one of the most diverse and economically valuable ecosystems on Earth. By providing us with food, tourism, recreation, jobs, medicine and protection from storms, to name a few, they rake in an estimated $30 billion each year. But if we don’t do something soon, we can kiss these services goodbye: around 20% of our reefs are already dead, mainly due to rising temperatures and ocean acidification.