What are Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems?
Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry have found that mesophotic coral ecosystems in the Eastern Tropical Pacific face a two-pronged threat, with bleaching from warm water above and cold-water exposure from below.
- Published in Science of the Total Environment, the study highlights the increasing risks to these reefs’ health and functionality.
- Mesophotic coral ecosystems are found in tropical and subtropical regions at depths between 100 and 490 feet.
- Key organisms in these ecosystems include corals, sponges, and algae, which provide structural habitat.
- These ecosystems may help replenish shallow coral reefs and serve as essential habitats for fish species crucial for spawning, breeding, and feeding.
- Mesophotic corals contain organisms with specialised defences that could lead to the development of natural products for medical use.
