Marine Biologists Unmask Species Diversity in Coral Reefs (1 of 2) (IMAGE)

Penn State

Marine Biologists Unmask Species Diversity in Coral Reefs (1 of 2)

Caption

Some corals have been found to have the ability to survive in harsh environments, according to research led Penn State University scientists. This photo shows two corals (Porites sp.) growing side by side. The left colony is bleached: it appears white. During bleaching the partnership between symbiotic algae that live inside the coral cells and the coral host breaks down giving the coral a white appearance. The colony on the right is still green/brown and has a healthy population of symbionts living in its tissue. More information is online at http://science.psu.edu/news-and-events/2013-news/Baums12-2013.

Credit

Iliana Baums, Penn State University.

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