Environmental News Network - NCAR Study Identifies Where Coral Reefs May Be Buffered Against Warming Oceans

Details: By National Center for Atmospheric Research/University Corporation for Atmospheric Research; 03.Aug

As warming ocean temperatures threaten the existence of coral reefs, scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) have successfully used an extremely high-resolution computer simulation of ocean circulation to identify possible “thermal refugia” where these biodiverse ecosystems are more likely to survive.

Julie Swatson

As warming ocean temperatures threaten the existence of coral reefs, scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) have successfully used an extremely high-resolution computer simulation of ocean circulation to identify possible “thermal refugia” where these biodiverse ecosystems are more likely to survive.

The research team has published an interactive, freely available online global atlas with the locations of these areas, where ocean dynamics and cooler waters combine to provide possible havens for coral reefs.

“We hope this work serves as a starting point for other scientists who are interested in reefs,” said NCAR scientist Scott Bachman, who led the new study, published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science. “We invite researchers to look at our website, identify where refugia may be, and then go observe the health of the reefs.”

The research was supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation, which is NCAR’s sponsor. The study was co-authored by scientists at the University of Tasmania and the University of Auckland.

Photo Credit: visavietnam via Pixabay

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NCAR Study Identifies Where Coral Reefs May Be Buffered Against Warming Oceans