About Coral
What is Coral?
Coral are animals that help build coral reefs. Almost all coral are colonial organisms. Each coral is composed of many "coral polyps," which are the individual animals that collectively make the single coral structure. Each coral polyp has a mouth surrounded by tentacles, used to sting and grab prey.
Most stony coral have a mutualistic relationship with photosynthetic cells called zooxanthellae. These cells provide the coral with the necessary nutrition and energy, and the coral offers a safe place to photosynthesize.
Reefs are some of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet but are at risk of dying off from mostly man-made problems. They provide vital habitats for fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and other aquatic species. They also provide coastal protection for communities and provide us with a wide range of economic, recreational, and cultural services, such as food production, clean water supply, and tourism.
What is Coral Restoration?
Unfortunately, climate change and human activities are damaging coral reefs, and reducing their size and abundance. Coral restoration is an important part of saving coral reefs, and helping them maintain their healthy, sustainable ecosystems.
Coral restoration uses natural processes to help damaged reefs and start new growth. Coral fragments are attached to a "coral tree" where they receive 360 degrees of water flow and light, allowing faster growth. When ready, the coral is carefully transferred to the hard limestone rock at specific depths and secured using marine-safe epoxy. Over time, the coral will grow into large clusters called "thickets" that provide shelter for the rest of the reef!
Why is it important?
In addition to providing corals with essential nutrients, zooxanthellae are responsible for the unique and beautiful colors of many stony corals. Sometimes when corals become physically stressed, the polyps expel their zooxanthellae and the colony takes on a stark white appearance. This is commonly described as “coral bleaching”. If the polyps go for too long without zooxanthellae, coral bleaching can result in the coral's death.
History
In the 1980s, a sweeping staghorn coral disease wiped out 90% of staghorn coral, leaving the surviving coral with less biodiversity. This caused the remaining coral to spread further apart for survival. Due to the species' unique reproduction techniques that involve the release of eggs/gametes into the water, once annually under a full moon, this separation further reduced the odds of regenerating successful offspring.
Life Cycle
In the coral life cycle, once the egg is fertilized, it turns into a worm-like larval form and swims through the ocean until it finds a nice piece of rock to call home. Then it settles down and turns into a single coral polyp. As that polyp grows, it will split in two creating a genetically identical clone polyp. Over time, each polyp forms and shapes the overall structure of the coral.
Why is Reef-Safe Sunscreen Important?
Ingredients in most sunscreens are harmful to coral reefs for many reasons. One of the reasons is that it prevents the larval form of coral from being able to go through the hormonal process of turning into a coral polyp. Wearing reef-safe sunscreen is a small change anyone can do to help!