Coral reefs are facing increasing threats around the globe. But on a remote Pacific island, scientists have found that reefs can get help from a surprising ally: seabirds.

Coral reefs are facing increasing threats around the globe. But on a remote Pacific island, scientists have found that reefs can get help from a surprising ally: seabirds.

Scientists have discovered that bleached coral fragments can be rapidly restored by touching healthy...

The remote Pacific Ocean has some of the most pristine coral reefs in the world. The corals themselves are bigger than cars, their delicate arms creating a dense underwater maze. Above them, the skies are filled with seabirds like red-footed boobies and white terns, searching for fish. These species, separated by land and sea, are far more intertwined than once thought. Their relationship is the backbone of an entire ecosystem — a hidden connection that's changing the way scientists think about conservation. That connection: bird poop. Coral reefs near seabird colonies are generally healthier, thanks to the nutrients that birds deposit in their guano. It's one reason tropical islands and atolls are biodiversity hot spots in the vast Pacific Ocean. On some islands, this close-knit partnership has broken down. Seabird colonies have declined because of habitat loss and invasive species like rats. With fewer birds, fewer nutrients reach the ocean ecosystem. Now, as coral restoration projects work to bring back reefs, they're also focusing on bringing back seabird colonies, reestablishing a connection that helps both species. Coral reefs are increasingly vulnerable to rising ocean temperatures, and biologists say they need every advantage in a hotter world. "If we can figure...

The remote Pacific Ocean has some of the most pristine coral reefs in the world. The corals themselves are bigger than cars, their delicate arms creating a dense underwater maze. Above them, the skies are filled with seabirds like red-footed boobies and white terns, searching for fish. These species, separated by land and sea, are far more intertwined than once thought. Their relationship is the backbone of an entire ecosystem — a hidden connection that's changing the way scientists think about conservation. That connection: bird poop. Coral reefs near seabird colonies are generally healthier, thanks to the nutrients that birds deposit in their guano. It's one reason tropical islands and atolls are biodiversity hot spots in the vast Pacific Ocean. On some islands, this close-knit partnership has broken down. Seabird colonies have declined because of habitat loss and invasive species like rats. With fewer birds, fewer nutrients reach the ocean ecosystem. Now, as coral restoration projects work to bring back reefs, they're also focusing on bringing back seabird colonies, reestablishing a connection that helps both species. Coral reefs are increasingly vulnerable to rising ocean temperatures, and biologists say they need every advantage in a hotter world. "If we can figure...

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu’s coral reefs are being placed under heightened surveillance as scientists warn that a projected ‘Super’ El Niño in 2026-27 could trigger another episode of widespread bleaching. The state forest department is preparing measures to detect thermal anomalies early and respond to reef damage. Historically, major global coral bleaching events have coincided with El Niño years. The latest event was in 2023-24, when there was an 8.9% decline in hard coral cover globally. A recent assessment by world meteorologists has warned of the risk posed by the projected super El Niño, while the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center has forecast an over 90% probability of a very strong El Niño event during 2026-27. Tamil Nadu is particularly significant in India’s coral reef conservation efforts, with reefs distributed across the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay. The state has maintained systematic coral monitoring for more than two decades through the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park (GOMMNP), in association with the Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute (SDMRI). Tamil Nadu’s reefs have experienced severe bleaching and mortality during previous El Niño years of 1998, 2010, 2016 and 2024. Annual summer bleaching has also been observed since 2005...

No longer can we conceive of the climate crisis as an issue solely of higher temperatures and extreme storms, without also centering on the cascade of its fatal effects on vital ecosystems. First, among these may be the death of ancient, magnificent coral reefs and the vast marine life dependent on them, causing severe human and environmental health impacts. Further, these lethal effects are distinct potential points of no return, called tipping points, and they threaten the entire planet. The world is on track to reach a temperature of 2.6 degrees Centigrade by 2050, according to Climate Action Tracker — a dire scenario “imperiling livable futures.” The target set by the 2015 Paris Agreement to rein in climate warming was 1.5 degrees Centigrade. But already the three hottest years in human history taken together (2023-2025) have exceeded a 3-year average of 1.5 degrees Centigrade, and news is dire for the next two years when the strongest El Nino ever recorded is predicted. A strong El Nino “could drive the average global temperature to 1.8 degrees Centigrade above the preindustrial level” with extreme consequences for people and the planet. Why are we in this ominous predicament? Solid blame goes to the...

Disease and heat pose a deadly combination for coral reefs, according to a new University of Georgia study. Previous research has shown that heat stress can increase disease and kill coral. But the new paper found that corals with preexisting disease conditions were particularly vulnerable. Coral health is strongly influenced by water quality. Corals growing in poor quality water frequently have more disease that is often more severe than reefs in cleaner waters. “Water quality protection is a local issue,” said James Porter, co-author of the study and the Josiah Meigs Distinguished Professor Emeritus in UGA’s Odum School of Ecology. “These results demonstrate that measures to improve local water quality will also improve coral survival.” The researchers also found conservationists can help new coral grow by focusing efforts on the edges of the reefs. “We should be focusing restoration efforts in places where the corals are most likely to survive,” said Camilla Nivison, corresponding author of the study and a doctoral student in the Odum School. “We found some reefs during the heat wave to be an oasis with minimal damage. Nobody’s been able to pin down exactly why, but it appears that topography is important.” Hotter, longer heat waves...

Marine heatwaves are devastating marine life, particularly corals which are very sensitive to heat stress. When it gets too hot, corals can bleach and may die if temperatures don’t drop quickly enough for them to recover. Ocean scientists around the world are racing to find ways to protect these fragile animals from globally warming waters. Now, researchers may have found an intriguing solution: underwater parasols. “The fish life has exploded." 400,000 corals planted on dying reef in Bali. What happened next was remarkable After a bleaching event devastated corals in in Florida in 2023, researchers wanted to make sure this didn’t happen again. “We wanted to provide proof of concept for tools to save targeted corals in similar future events,” says Karen Neely, a research scientist at Nova Southeastern University in Florida. In 2024, the researchers put 20 custom-made sun umbrellas over 10 brain coral colonies (made up of knobby brain coral, Pseudodiploria clivosa. and boulder brain coral, Colpophyllia natans) at Newfound Harbor in the Florida Keys. They visited every two weeks, checking the corals’ colour, taking biopsy and recording changes in 20 control corals. Watch: Astonishing ‘explosion of life’ coral spawning in Cambodia stuns scientists What’s the difference between...

The world's oceans absorbed a record 23 zettajoules of additional heat in 2025, almost 40 times the energy humanity used that year, according to the 10th Copernicus Ocean State Report. Produced by Mercator Ocean International with contributions from more than 100 scientists, the report was published on 30 September. It found that global sea levels rose by 3.8mm a year between 1999 and 2025, accelerating to 4.2mm a year between 2012 and 2025. Between 1985 and 2025, the ocean also became roughly 17% more acidic as it absorbed carbon dioxide, adding pressure on marine ecosystems. Reefs Recorded the Highest Heat Stress on Record Data from NOAA Coral Reef Watch shows that bleaching-level heat stress affected about 84.4% of the world's coral reef area between 1 January 2023 and 30 September 2025. Mass bleaching was documented in at least 83 countries and territories. The previous record was 68.2%, recorded during the third global bleaching event between 2014 and 2017. NOAA's figure measures reef area exposed to heat stress capable of causing bleaching, rather than the number of corals that died. The Copernicus report states that coral reefs can account for more than 20% of GDP in some Small Island Developing States,...