Pink and purple pigments act as sunscreen for corals

7 February 2013, by Tom Marshall. http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk

The chemicals that give some corals their luminous pink and red colours also protect them from damage caused by too much sunlight, scientists have shown.

The idea isn't altogether new, but this is the first conclusive evidence for it. Corals need light to survive, but too much can kill them, so they've evolved various countermeasures.

This research adds another to their arsenal – chemicals known as chromoproteins (CPs), which turn out to absorb potentially harmful portions of the electromagnetic spectrum.

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Smith, E.G., D'Angelo, C., Salih, A., Wiedenmann, J. Screening by coral green fluorescent protein (GFP)-like chromoproteins supports a role in photoprotection of zooxanthellae. Coral Reefs. DOI: 10.1007/s00338-012-0994-9

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Attend a Hearing to Save 66 Corals

The government has set up a number of hearings to discuss the 66 corals proposed for endangered species protections. Please attend a public meeting in your area and give your support the proposed coral protections. It's a great opportunity to learn what the coral listings will mean and also build support within your community to conserve biodiversity. Florida 

Mon., Jan. 14, at the Nova Southeastern University Center of Excellence for Coral Reef Ecosystem Science, 8000 North Ocean Dr., Dania Beach, 7-9 p.m.
The Center's Staff Laywer Jacki Lopez will be attending this hearing.

Tue., Jan. 15 at the John Pennekamp State Park Visitors Center, 102601 Overseas Hwy., 7-9 p.m.

Wed., Jan. 16 at the Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center, 35 East Quay Rd., Key West, 7-9 p.m.

Puerto Rico

Mon., Feb. 4 at the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, 4th Floor Conference Room, Road 8838, km. 6.3, Sector El Cinco, Río Piedras, 6-8 p.m.

Tue., Feb. 5 at the University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez Campus, Salas Eugene Francis Physics Building, Room # 229, Mayagüez, 6-8 p.m.

Hawaii 

Tue., Jan. 22 at the Mokupapapa Discovery Center, 308 Kamehameha Ave., Hilo, 5-9:30 p.m.

Thu., Jan. 24 at the Kahakai Elementary School, 76147 Royal Poinciana Dr., Kailua Kona, 5-9:30 p.m.

Mon., Jan. 28 at the Mitchell Pauole Center, 90 Ainoa St. Kaunakakai, Molokai, 5-9:30 p.m.

Wed., Jan. 30 at the J. Walter Cameron Center, 95 Mahalani St., Wailuku, 5-9:30 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 4 at the Kauai Veteran's Center, 3125 Kapule Hwy., Lihue, 5-9:30 p.m.

Thu., Feb. 7 at the Tokai University, 2241 Kapiolani Blvd., Honolulu, 5-9:30 p.m.
The Center' for Biological Diversity's Oceans Director Miyoko Sakashita will be attending this hearing.

U.S. Virgin Islands

Wed., Feb. 6 at the Buck Island Reef National Monument, 2100 Church St., #100, Christiansted, St. Croix, 7-9 p.m.

Thu., Feb. 7 at the Windward Passage Hotel, Veterans Dr., Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, 7-9 p.m.

Guam, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands

Mon., Feb. 11 at the Guam Hilton, 202 Hilton Rd., Tumon Bay, Hagatna, 5-9:30 p.m.
Tue., Feb. 13 at Sadie’s by the Sea, Main Rd., Pago Pago, Tutuila 5-9:30 p.m.
Wed., Feb. 13 at the Fleming Hotel, Tinian 5-9:30 p.m.
Fri., Feb. 15 at the Mayor’s Office, Tatachog Rd., Rota, 5-9:30 p.m.

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Great Barrier Reef has lost half its corals since 1985, new study says

Australia’s Great Barrier Reef has lost more than half its coral cover since 1985, according to a new study published Monday. The loss has been spurred by a combination of factors including hurricanes, coral-eating starfish and coral bleaching.The paper, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is the most comprehensive survey of a reef system over such a long period. The researchers from the Australian Institute of Marine Science found that reef cover fell from 28 percent to 13.8 percent over the past 27 years, with two-thirds of the decline occurring since 1998.

The sobering findings highlighted how even the world’s most protected marine areas are under assault from natural forces and causes linked to the human activity that is resulting in climate change. The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem, featuring nearly 3,000 individual reefs within 133,205 square miles. A third of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park is off-limits to fishing and collecting.

“We are basically losing an ecosystem that is so iconic for Australia and the rest of the world,” said institute scientist Katharina E. Fabricius, one of the paper’s authors.

Storm damage accounted for 48 percent of the decline, scientists said, while crown-of-horns starfish contributed 42 percent. Coral bleaching, caused by warmer water, accounted for 10 percent of coral loss. Read more

 

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