Scientists invent underwater umbrellas to protect coral reefs
12 hours ago
- Earth is experiencing its fourth global coral bleaching event, with annual mass bleaching expected by 2050 due to ocean warming.
- Researchers tested 'underwater umbrellas' that shade corals, reducing sun exposure and mitigating bleaching caused by heat stress.
- In a Caribbean study, shaded corals suffered less bleaching and some regained color, while no corals died in either group.
- The shades are simple structures made of pipes and nylon cloth, fixed about 30 cm above corals, reducing light exposure by 60%.
- The experiment was conducted in the Florida Keys during summer 2024 under record-high heat stress, showing positive shading effects.
- Unshaded corals also fared better than expected, possibly due to colonization by heat-tolerant algae, though shading still provided measurable benefits.
- Future designs could expand shading to larger reef areas, and longer-term studies are needed to assess impacts on disease and reproduction.