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Coral-lations!

Hi, I'm Mo Barrow with NSF -- the U.S. National Science Foundation.

It's official! Summer is here. Warm weather, flip flops, sandy beaches and clear blue waters are in our future. And a vacation for some, might come in the form of a beautiful island where you can find some of the worlds most breathtaking coral reef ecosystems.

Although corals look like plants, they are actually animals, highly susceptible to environmental–related disturbances and a prolonged disturbance can have a devastating impact on these valued systems.

Scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution examined antibiotic-induced stressors on the Northern Star coral, located in the murkier, colder waters near Cape Cod. They wanted to understand how the coral reassembles itself following a disruption.

The results showed once corals returned to their normal sea conditions, those with symbiotic algae -- that's organisms embedded in the coral's tissue -- recovered quicker and more consistently, than those without algae.

This research also suggests this symbiotic relationship may help the corals identify specific microorganisms that are important to its survival.

These findings could aid in the conservation of our coral ecosystems protecting our beaches and shorelines from erosion.

Discover how the U.S. National Science Foundation is advancing research at nsf.gov.

"The discovery files" covers projects funded by the government's National Science Foundation. Federally sponsored research -- brought to you, by you! Learn more at nsf.gov or on our podcast.

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