Coral reefs are biologically diverse marine ecosystems built primarily by colonies of reef-building corals in warm, shallow, sunlit ocean waters. The reef structure is formed by the calcium carbonate skeletons that corals deposit over time, and the living coral tissue depends on a symbiotic relationship with photosy…
Coral reefs are biologically diverse marine ecosystems built primarily by colonies of reef-building corals in warm, shallow, sunlit ocean waters. The reef structure is formed by the calcium carbonate skeletons that corals deposit over time, and the living coral tissue depends on a symbiotic relationship with photosynthetic algae called zooxanthellae, which supply much of the coral's energy. These structures provide habitat, food, and shelter for an exceptional range of fish, invertebrates, and other marine organisms, support fisheries and coastal protection, and are sensitive indicators of ocean health. Reefs are vulnerable to stressors such as rising sea temperatures, which can disrupt the coral-algae symbiosis and cause bleaching, as well as pollution, acidification, and physical damage. Research in this journal contributes to understanding reef biology, including a molecular survey of Symbiodinium, the algal symbionts, in scleractinian corals and a fire coral species along the Red Sea coast of Egypt, work that helps characterize the partnerships underpinning reef function in a specific marine environment. Within marine science, the study of coral reefs spans ecology, symbiosis, and conservation. This page gathers peer-reviewed, open-access research relevant to coral reef ecosystems and their resident organisms.
1 peer-reviewed article, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.