Scientists Invent Underwater Umbrellas to Protect Coral Reefs-and It Appears to Be Working
Researchers have developed 'underwater umbrellas' to shade coral reefs from intense solar radiation and heat stress. The study shows these structures can reduce bleaching and help corals recover in smaller, high-priority areas.
Why it matters
This innovation offers a localized, short-term mitigation strategy for coral reefs facing the existential threat of global ocean warming.
Earth is in the midst of its fourth global coral bleaching event . Scientists expect that by 2050, the world’s oceans will have warmed so much that most reefs suffer mass bleaching every year. A surprisingly simple invention could help protect some of them.
In a study published today in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science, researchers present “underwater umbrellas” that shade corals to reduce their Sun exposure, which exacerbates bleaching caused by warming waters. They tested these crafty canopies in the Caribbean, where corals are especially vulnerable to solar radiation and heat stress, and found that shaded corals indeed suffered less bleaching. Some even recovered some of their color.
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