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NOAA scientists are warning that warm ocean temperatures in the tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans could set the stage for major coral bleaching events across the globe in 2015.

NOAA scientists are warning that warm ocean temperatures in the tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans could set the stage for major coral bleaching events across the globe in 2015.

Today, the Khaled BIN SULTAN Living Oceans Foundation published our findings on the state of coral reefs in the Chagos Archipelago. This research mission gave us the chance to study some of the most isolated and well-protected coral reefs in the world. Our research, based on thousands of scientific surveys, found reefs in the Chagos Archipelago were some of the most diverse and had a higher density of fish than all of the reefs studied on the Global Reef Expedition, the largest coral reef survey and mapping expedition in history.

In southeast Kenya, near the border with Tanzania, lies a coral reef in the Indian ocean. The coral reef has degraded due to unsustainable fishing and climate change. WUR PhD student Joshua Wambugu is investigating how the local community and other stakeholders can contribute to restoring the reef and finding a sustainable livelihood.

Coral bleaching spreads to Maldives, devastating spectacular reefs.

Coral bleaching spreads to Maldives, devastating spectacular reefs.

These resilient corals can handle conditions that would decimate other species.

These resilient corals can handle conditions that would decimate other species.

India's coral reefs are home to many stunning marine animals, but they might be gone before we know it.

India's coral reefs are home to many stunning marine animals, but they might be gone before we know it.

Saving Coral Reefs Depends More on Protecting Fish Than Safeguarding Locations.

Saving Coral Reefs Depends More on Protecting Fish Than Safeguarding Locations.

As if coral didn't have enough to deal with.

As if coral didn't have enough to deal with.

Restoring coral reefs, with some help from local fish.

Restoring coral reefs, with some help from local fish.

THE coral wonderlands of the Abrolhos Islands off the Mid West coast, and the fishing industries that rely on them, are at worse risk of damage from climate change than previously thought.

THE coral wonderlands of the Abrolhos Islands off the Mid West coast, and the fishing industries that rely on them, are at worse risk of damage from climate change than previously thought.

The adaptation of tropical coral communities to the world's hottest sea, the Persian/Arabian Gulf (PAG), has recently been associated with ecological selection acting on a group of coral-associated algal symbionts, the Symbiodinium thermophilum group. Previous studies have shown that considerable genetic diversity exists within the group and that group members found within the PAG are significantly differentiated from those found externally, in the Gulf of Oman and wider waters. However, little is known about this genetic diversity. As an initial step towards understanding whether this diversity could represent niche adapted, selectable populations within the S. thermophilum group that may act as natural sources of stress tolerant associations to Indo-Pacific reefs, we investigate whether the diversity is structured between populations and where the location of the internal-external genetic partition lies. We use regions of the nuclear ribosomal DNA (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) and chloroplastic psbA gene (non-coding region) from >100 S. thermophilum group-harbouring Porites spp. (P. lobata, P. lutea, and P. harrisoni) sampled across steep temperature and salinity gradients to conduct analyses of variance and create maximum parsimony networks to assess genetic structure and (dis)similarity within and between populations of S. thermophilum found within the PAG and externally in the Gulf of Oman. Our analyses resolve a sharp genetic boundary between Symbiodinium populations in the western Strait of Hormuz and identify significant genetic structure between populations with as little as 20 km between them demonstrating that differentiation between populations is likely due to factors other than limited connectivity. Further, we hypothesize that genotypes identified outside of the PAG in the Gulf of Oman existing in near-oceanic salinities, yet thermally challenging waters, putatively represent candidates for stress-tolerant symbionts that could act as natural seed populations of st

A particular species of crab has been helping Great Barrier Reef coral combat white syndrome, a deadly disease that causes coral tissue to disintegrate.

The third global bleaching event took its toll on Western Australia's super-corals.

Coral reefs off Tanzania's coast are being destroyed, most beyond repair.

Surprising Coral Diversity Rivals Great Barrier Reef.

A new study published in the international journal Nature Communications has revealed how Western Australia's coral reefs have been affected by changing ocean currents, rising sea surface temperatures and sea level variability.

Sea sponge study sheds light on coral reefs.

Reef 'Stress Test' Aims to Preserve Threatened Corals.

Reef fisheries can continue to provide food and income despite corals being lost to climate change, according to new research conducted in the Seychelles.

Environment ministry carries out campaign to protect coral reefs in Oman.