New Research Shows How Coral Algae help the Environment

Researchers found that coral algae have benefits for the environment and marine life as algae provide beneficial support to corals, helping to provide more nutrients and sturdy corals.

According to the National Geographic, corals are also known as the rainforest of the sea.

Their existence in the marine ecosystem significantly provides habitat and food for 25% of fishes worldwide, showing a wide range of symbiotic relationships.

The immense contribution of corals to marine life is essential to finish survival.

In addition, National Geographic said that corals have about six thousand coral species on the planet.

Being a colonial organism with different animals present, the National Ocean Service explained that corals in the ocean feed at night.

They capture prey or food by stinging cells (nematocysts).

Man-made pollution massively affects the ocean's corals and the increasing temperature due to climate change.

The alarming impact on coral reefs could disrupt the food sources of fish, affecting marine ecosystems.

Furthermore, the National Ocean Service emphasized the increasing number of coral diseases.

Being a valuable habitat on Earth, it is important to protect corals from the dangers of pollution, climate change, coral poaching, or illegal removal of corals.

The impact on the coral reefs can also affect the ocean and humans' livelihood.

The study was published in Royal Society Open Science and is available to read in ScienceDaily.

Environmental stress

(Photo : by Lukasz Larsson Warzecha via Getty Images)

The research pointed out algae can also contribute to corals by making them resilient to potential heat stress.

The researchers gathered 600 rice corals on Kaneohe Bay, off the windward side of O'ahu, Hawai'i, to better understand the symbionts in corals.

They observed and analyzed the data, algal symbionts colonies, sedimentation, and temperature in the ocean.

According to the study's lead author, Mariana Rocha de Souza explained that the fine-scale sampling of coral colonies within Kaneohe Bay revealed that the algal symbiont could respond to corals' conditions.

It will help scientists understand how corals manage to deal with heat stress.

Souza is also a graduate student at UH Manoa's Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology.

Furthermore, the lead author added that they were shocked at how symbionts responded to the environment differently on the bay, noting that the areas have less temperature, light, and warming.

Ultimately, the research emphasized that thermal stress threatens ocean corals, and sea temperatures raised concerns about rapidly warming.

Protecting corals

Corals are an important part of the marine ecosystem. If it gets harmed, abused, and damaged, there are the worst environmental and human effects.

As a result, protecting corals plays a significant role in fighting climate change.

Moreover, human-caused pollution was also attributed to the poor quality of water affecting corals. Protecting and preserving corals are vital for the future of the Environment.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency said how to take care of plants. Here are some things you can do to protect the corals.

Be responsible for your trash, and properly dispose of it in trash bins. Don't throw your waste into the oceans.
Being green means being an environment friend. Having electric cars or solar power can reduce the impact of climate change.
If you are in the sea, be mindful of corals so that you won't damage them.