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Welcome to the Coral Digest

Coral reefs are the proverbial "canary in a coal mine" of the oceans. In the face of climate change, there is no doubt that coral reefs are declining worldwide. Increased concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere have led to warming oceans, ocean acidification, coral disease, and global bleaching events that occur too frequently for coral to recover. Localized threats from overfishing, pollution (including marine plastics), invasive species, and even the sunscreen that we all wear all but ensure that coral reefs, and the amazing assortment of fish and creatures that depend on them, will cease to exist as we know them, despite our best efforts to preserve and manage the reefs.

This site is a collection of student research. For the spring 2020 semester, students are investigating the following topics:

• Role of sound on the reefs
• Coral disease
• Plastic pollution
• Benefits of conservation and restoration measures

Magnificent Feather Duster