Tiny Hairs That Help Corals Breathe May Malfunction in Warming Oceans
New research reveals that coral polyps use microscopic cilia to circulate oxygen, but warming ocean temperatures may cause these structures to malfunction. As water warms, the increased metabolic demand of the cilia can lead to suffocation, contributing to coral bleaching and mass die-offs.
Why it matters
Understanding the physiological mechanisms of coral survival is critical for predicting the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems.
The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine.
They are anything but. Corals are complex creatures that form enduring colonies, and just like other animals they need oxygen to live. Across the living surface of coral, a frantic dance of survival takes place, invisible to our eyes and unknown to science before 2014. The tiny dancers are hairlike cilia, and new research into these microscopic structures is revealing just how active corals are in determining their own fate.
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