Posts by Ken Kostel
The Sound of (Reef) Music
In the fight to save corals, the solution may lie in sound. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) associate scientist Aran Mooney learned that some rainforest researchers turned to studying noise to determine the health of these threatened environments. He hypothesized a similar connection between sound and the health of reefs. Reefs are every bit as…
Read MoreInnovative Techniques Provide New Means to Monitor Coral Reef Health
With coral reefs worldwide undergoing unprecedented stressors due to climate change and other human pressures, a large-scale application of innovative techniques shows promise for detecting the health condition of reefs. The techniques, which look at microbes and dissolved metabolites – i.e., chemicals that are produced during metabolism –were broadly applied to coral reefs off Florida…
Read MoreNFWF Announces $1.3 Million in Grants to Support Coral Reefs
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) today announced $1.3 million in grants to support efforts to improve the health and resilience of coral reefs in Florida, Hawai’i, Guam, and America Samoa. The grants will generate $1.3 million in matching contributions for a total conservation impact of $2.6 million. The grants were awarded through the Coral…
Read MoreResearchers propose a new technology-centered focus to study and conserve coral reefs
The scope and scale of threats facing coral reefs demand new ways of approaching the questions that need to be answered in order to ensure the future of reefs worldwide. That’s the conclusion of a paper released in print today by a multi-disciplinary scientists and engineers from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). The paper,…
Read MoreCan Sound Help Save Coral Reefs?
Coral reefs are more than just a feast for the eyes, they are also awash in a stunning array of sounds. The chirps, grunts, and snaps of fish, shrimp, and other reef inhabitants are hallmarks of a healthy coral community rich in animals moving, feeding, calling out to potential mates, and fending off predators. To…
Read MoreStudy Examines the Impact of Coral Chemical Compounds on Reef Composition and Health
Stumbling upon a new source of underwater caffeine was just an added bonus of a new study examining the impact of chemical compounds that corals release into the seawater. The study found that the organic chemical compounds produced through metabolism —known as metabolites or exudates—vary significantly by coral species and that the compounds impact the…
Read MoreAs oceans warm, snapping shrimp sound a warning
Research published by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) scientists today in Frontiers in Marine Science confirmed their previous observations that rising temperatures increase the sound of snapping shrimp, a tiny crustacean found in temperate and tropical coastal marine environments around the world. In the first study of its kind, WHOI marine ecologists Ashlee Lillis and T. Aran Mooney established…
Read MoreGive Reefs a Chance Campaign
Join our campaign to give reefs a chance in a changing ocean. With your help, we can all make a difference. Learn more >
Read MoreGive Reefs a Chance Video
Coral reefs around the world are facing a dangerous decline, but there is still hope! This behind-the-scenes video highlights some of the novel technologies and approaches WHOI researchers are developing to detect and diagnose at-risk corals before any visible signs of damage when there is still time to intervene
Read More