Record-Setting Coral Reef

Researchers have determined that a coral reef discovered in 1999 is the deepest reef ever found off the continental United States.

The reef lies, seen above, in approximately 250 feet of water off the coast of southwest Florida on a submerged barrier-island named Pulley Ridge. It is a significant discovery that may be unique, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) announced last week. Besides hosting the reef, Pulley Ridge survived rising sea level and erosion from waves and currents.

The corals on Pulley Ridge are considerably healthier than corals from shallow-water reefs nearly worldwide, including the Florida Keys. Corals are normally found in shallower waters because they require large amounts of sunlight. But research shows that shallow corals are stressed and vulnerable to disease, global climate change, loss of habitat, and human activity.

"Although deeper-water corals form reefs in the dark of ocean depths, Pulley Ridge is the deepest photosynthetic coral reef that we know of today," said Robert Halley, a USGS marine geologist.

"Pulley Ridge is an area of particular environmental concern due to its unusual benthic community and fragile nature--living corals are easily disturbed. Activity such as removal of live-bottom materials for fish tanks would be particularly harmful," said Albert Hine of the University of South Florida, which participated in the study.

-- LiveScience Staff

Image Credit: USGS