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Cloral bleaching

coral bleaching — When ocean water temperatures rise too high, corals can become stressed and expel the algae (zooxanthellae) living in their tissues. The algae is what provides the coral with its unique color. With the algae expelled, the individual polyps, which become mostly clear, show the white skeleton of the coral beneath. Once the coral appears white, we say it is bleached. Photo credit: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Corals Topics

Welcome What are corals? What is Zooxanthellae? How do corals grow? How do coral reefs form? Where are corals found? How do corals reproduce? Why are coral reefs important? What are the major threats to corals? - Climate change - Pollution - Diseases - Fishing impacts What are the other threats to corals? Protecting corals - Laws and partnerships Protecting corals - Protected places Restoring corals

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Last updated:

08/12/24

Author: NOAA

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