Coral-algal partnership has been around since age of dinosaurs
- 6 years ago
STATE COLLEGE, PENNSYLVANIA — Reef algae are much older and more resilient than previously thought, and may well survive longer than expected.
The BBC reports that corals rely on microscopic algae that live inside their cells to harness energy from sunlight, both for food and reef formation. The algae, in turn, receive nutrients and protection.
This symbiotic relationship was once estimated to have begun 50 to 65 million years ago, but new research published in Current Biology indicates it started in the mid-Jurassic some 160 million years ago.
This means the coral-algal partnership were around when dinosaurs roamed Earth. Even more shocking — they survived the catastrophic event that rendered dinos extinct.
On top of being older, the algae is also more diverse. Genetic analyses reveal that lineages lumped into one genus can in fact be subdivided into at least 15 genera with hundreds or thousands of species.
Warming waters are a concern for coral due to bleaching, in which the algae is expelled by the coral. But findings suggest some algal species may be more tolerant of heat.
The resilience depends largely on the species, but could be meaningful as far as climate change goes.
For now, scientists need to modernize coral symbiont taxonomy, to improve communication and pave the way for future research on reef corals.
The BBC reports that corals rely on microscopic algae that live inside their cells to harness energy from sunlight, both for food and reef formation. The algae, in turn, receive nutrients and protection.
This symbiotic relationship was once estimated to have begun 50 to 65 million years ago, but new research published in Current Biology indicates it started in the mid-Jurassic some 160 million years ago.
This means the coral-algal partnership were around when dinosaurs roamed Earth. Even more shocking — they survived the catastrophic event that rendered dinos extinct.
On top of being older, the algae is also more diverse. Genetic analyses reveal that lineages lumped into one genus can in fact be subdivided into at least 15 genera with hundreds or thousands of species.
Warming waters are a concern for coral due to bleaching, in which the algae is expelled by the coral. But findings suggest some algal species may be more tolerant of heat.
The resilience depends largely on the species, but could be meaningful as far as climate change goes.
For now, scientists need to modernize coral symbiont taxonomy, to improve communication and pave the way for future research on reef corals.