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- One-third of the planet's coral reef ecosystems are currently at risk of being damaged due to warming sea temperatures.
- The new, privately-funded Nekton project explores and records deep sea life off the coast of Bermuda to shed light on the dangers facing coral reefs.
- Coral that live in shallow waters are threatened by human-inflicted pollution and warming water temperatures, which cause bleaching. The ecologists study various coral to determine which species can protect themselves by migrating to greater depths in the ocean and which will need preservation assistance.
- Scientists travel up to 1,000 ft. into the Atlantic Ocean in small submarines to film and identify a variety of species. They can also identify species that they do not observe on their voyages by collecting DNA from water samples.
Class discussion questions
- Essential question : What have scientists learned by studying the ocean's ecosystems?
- What have Nekton scientists learned from their surveys about coral? How might this help conservation efforts in the future?
- Do you think humans need to do more to study the impact we have on ocean life? Explain your answer.
