Cold Water Corals
Corals are the
rainforests of the
ocean. They are busy,
colourful ecosystems,
teeming with life. When
you think of coral reefs,
you probably imagine
warm, shallow, tropical seas.
But it is little known that coral also
grows in the cold, dark waters of the
deep ocean - and it is much more
abundant there than previously thought. Image Credit: Rohan Holt
Extensive cold water coral reefs thrive off the coast of Scotland. Some deep water reefs off South West Ireland are more than 2.5 million years old.
Biodiversity
The complex skeletal structure left
behind as coral grows provides
a home for many animals. So far,
researchers have found over 1300
animal species living on and around
cold water coral reefs. These include
fish, sponges, crabs and lobsters,
starfi sh, zooplankton and worms. Image Credit: Rohan Holt
Greenhouse gas emissions are making the oceans more acidic. Scientists are unsure how corals will cope in a more acidic ocean.
Threats
Cold water corals grow extremely slowly. When they are damaged it takes a long time for them to recover - if at all. The most significant and immediate threat is bottom trawl fishing, that can involve pulling chains or other weights along the ocean floor. When they hit a reef it destroys coral ecosystems that can be many thousands of years old. The Scottish Marine Act may soon protect the ecosystems around Mingulay, including the reefs. Image Credit: Fishing gear can include hard structures such as chains and steel boards.
Web-links
Links for further information
Content Credit: The Scottish Association for Marine Science, Marine Biological Association, and the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton.