Source: Khleej Times
February 11, 2013

The ability of coral reefs in the Arabian Gulf to survive in exceptionally high temperatures will provide important scientific insights for the future of coral reefs throughout the world, scientists from New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) and the University of Southampton at the National Oceanography Centre (NOCS), UK, said.

Coral reefs thrive at a temperature of around 28 degrees Celsius, and even slight warming can result in mortality; yet those in the Arabian Gulf are able to withstand temperature of 36 degrees Celsius.

NYUAD and NOCS are collaborating to develop a more robust picture of how extreme temperatures impact coral communities in the region, and to better understand the mechanisms that allow these corals to survive in relatively hostile environmental conditions.

To read the full text of the article, click here [1].