Coral bleaching is a stress-induced biological process in which reef-building scleractinian corals lose all or most of their endosymbiotic dinoflagellates (family Symbiodiniaceae) and/or their photosynthetic pigments, leading to visible paling or whitening of coral tissues. Triggered primarily by elevated sea surface temperatures, but also by light stress, pollution, or oxidative stress, bleaching involves disruption of the coral–algal symbiosis through mechanisms such as reactive oxygen species overproduction, damage to photosystem II, and activation of host cellular stress pathways that drive symbiont expulsion or degradation. Prolonged or repeated bleaching events impair coral metabolism, calcification, and reproduction, often increasing mortality and restructuring reef ecosystems.
A pesky fish may be the culprit behind bleached tropical coral off the coast of the Florida Keys, according to research from the University of Georgia.
Plants & Animals
Jul 21, 2025
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A team of scientists from the University of Miami, the Florida Aquarium and Tela Marine in Honduras is working together to transplant crossbred coral fragments onto a reef off Miami's coastline that was devastated by coral ...
Ecology
Jul 4, 2025
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New research has revealed alarming coral mortality rates of 92% after last year's bleaching event at Lizard Island on Queensland's Great Barrier Reef, marking one of the highest coral mortality rates ever documented globally.
Plants & Animals
Jul 4, 2025
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Multiple climate "tipping points" are likely to be triggered if global policies stay on their current course, new research shows. Scientists assessed the risk of "tipping" in 16 different parts of the Earth system—ranging ...
Earth Sciences
Apr 23, 2025
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An "unprecedented" mass bleaching event has been recorded off Australia's western coast, scientists said Wednesday, turning huge chunks of a celebrated reef system a sickly dull white.
Environment
Mar 26, 2025
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