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Rhode Island’s cold-water coral may help researchers understand reef resilience
The northern star coral, the only hard coral found in Rhode Island waters, can withstand local winters. Researchers hope studying its resilience could inform efforts to address coral bleaching as reefs face steep global declines.
A coral that survives Rhode Island’s cold winters could help researchers investigate how reefs might better withstand the stress of warming seas and bleaching.
Koty Sharp, a Rhode Island marine researcher, is studying northern star coral, known scientifically as *Astrangia poculata*. The species is the only hard coral found in Rhode Island waters. Its ability to persist in a place with cold winters makes it a potential subject for research into coral resilience, though the work does not offer a ready-made solution for reefs elsewhere.
The stakes extend well beyond marine ecosystems. Coral reefs support fisheries and tourism, and help shield coastal communities from waves. In the United States, reefs provide an estimated $3.4 billion in economic value through those services, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. About 1 billion people worldwide benefit from reef ecosystems, the agency estimates.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projects that coral reefs could decline by 70% to 90% as soon as 2050. The losses could also limit scientific and medical discoveries, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution research specialist Hauke Kite-Powell has said.
Studying a coral adapted to Rhode Island conditions may offer clues for research into bleaching, but protecting reefs will also require addressing the larger pressures putting them at risk.