Concept of Ecology

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Scientists map world's largest known deep-sea coral habitat

Context: Researchers in the USA have mapped the largest coral reef deep in the ocean.

Researchers have mapped the largest coral reef deep in the ocean off the Atlantic coast of the United States using new underwater mapping technology. The length of the reef is 310 miles (499 Kilometers) starting from Florida to South Carolina.
The width of the reef is about 68 miles (109 kilometers). The depth of reef ranges from 200 meters to 1000 meters where even sunlight does not penetrate.

The reef stretches about 310 miles from Florida to South Carolina, with widths reaching up to 68 miles in certain areas.
Its size compares to nearly three times that of Yellowstone National Park.
Located at depths where sunlight is minimal, the reef thrives in a unique ecosystem.
The corals in these depths adapt to survive by filtering food particles, contrasting with the photosynthesis-based growth of tropical reefs.
The reef provides habitat for a wide range of marine species, including sharks, swordfish, octopuses, shrimp, sea stars, and more.
This biodiversity reveals the ecological significance and complexity of deep-sea coral reefs.
The study highlights that only about 75% of the world's ocean floor and 50% of U.S. offshore waters have been mapped with high resolution.
The use of high-resolution sonar devices aboard ships was critical for this mapping, suggesting the potential for more discoveries.

Coral reefs are some of the most diverse ecosystems in the world.
Vibrant and healthy reefs form when a coral and an algae — zooxanthellae — start a symbiotic relationship.
The coral provides protection and compounds zooxanthellae’s need for photosynthesis.
The algae produces carbohydrates and helps remove the coral’s waste.
Coral polyps, the animals primarily responsible for building reefs, can take many forms: large reef building colonies, graceful flowing fans, and even small, solitary organisms.
The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is the world’s largest tropical coral reef system which stretches for about 1,430 miles (2,301 kilometers).

Warmer water temperatures can result in coral bleaching.
When water is too warm, corals expel the algae (zooxanthellae) living in their tissues causing the coral to turn completely white.
This is called coral bleaching.
When a coral bleaches, it is not dead.

Ren’Ai reef is located in the South China sea.
Ren’Ai reef is the Chinese name for what the Philippines call Ayungin Shoal and the US calls the Second Thomas Shoal, the site of multiple confrontations between the two countries’ ships in recent months.
Mischief reef is located in the South China Sea.
Conway reef is located in the Pacific Ocean.
Lyra reef is located in the Pacific Ocean.

Ecosystem value: Coral Reefs provide an important ecosystem for life underwater, protect coastal areas by reducing the power of waves hitting the coast, and provide a crucial source of income for millions of people.
The pristine and oldest ecosystem of corals share less than 1% of the earth’s surface but they provide a home to nearly 25% of marine life.
Thousands of species can be found living on one reef.
Economy: Coral reefs have an estimated global value of £6 trillion each year, due in part to their contribution to the fishing and tourism industries and the coastal protection they provide.
More than 500 million people worldwide depend on reefs for food, jobs and coastal defence.
Protection from Storm: Coral reefs also provide protection from storm waves.
Medicinal value: Extracts from animals and plants living on reefs have been used to develop treatments for asthma, arthritis, cancer and heart disease.

These habitats are susceptible to similar risks, including climate change and disturbance from oil and gas drilling. These include:

Damage from drilling muds and oil spills: Deep-sea corals are often found in areas of oil and gas operations, so there is potential for damage from drilling muds and oil spills. It may permanently remove large areas of deep-sea coral habitat.
Impacts of Climate Change: The increasing temperatures may shift species’ distributions and increasing acidity may weaken coral skeletons, particularly in deeper waters.
Human-caused, or anthropogenic activities: Pollution, overfishing, destructive fishing practices using dynamite or cyanide, collecting live corals for the aquarium market, mining coral for building materials, and a warming climate are some of the many ways that people damage reefs all around the world every day.
Deep Sea Mining: It may destroy deep sea habitats, eradicate rare and unique species, and introduce sediment clouds, noise, toxic chemicals, vibration and other forms of pollution into deep sea.
It is still an experimental field to harness the polymetallic nodules (PMNs) such as copper, nickel and cobalt, used for the production of technologies like wind turbines and hybrid cars.

It is a crucial task due to their importance in maintaining marine biodiversity and providing economic, social, recreational, and cultural benefits.
These include use of advanced science to manage ecosystem services in marine and coastal areas, identifying and protecting marine ecosystems, mapping and monitoring with advanced scientific tools like 3D mapping to help protect deep-sea coral reefs.