Naturally occurring super corals in Kāneʻohe Bay, Oʻahu, are surviving under ocean conditions that many predicted would decimate all coral reefs on the planet, according to researchers in the (SOEST) at the .
The research, funded by the and published in the , showed how reefs within Kāneʻohe Bay that were devastated by sewage inputs between the 1930s and 1970s recovered within 20 years after the sewage input was diverted. Amazingly, the reefs recovered while withstanding warmer temperatures and more acidic conditions than nearby reefs outside the bay.
“I discovered how unique the situation is in Kāneʻohe Bay during my doctoral research at UH,” said Christopher Jury, a post-doctoral researcher and study lead. “We knew that the temperature and chemistry conditions in Kāneʻohe Bay are very similar to the conditions that people predict will kill corals off globally, yet the reefs in the bay are thriving, making the area incredibly valuable as a possible window into the future.”
Learn more about UH research on coral reefs.
—By Cindy Knapman