Researchers develop innovative method to study crucial ocean creatures: 'Offers a powerful solution'
Coral reefs play crucial roles in marine ecosystems, and researchers in Okinawa, Japan, have developed a technology to further understand these complex creatures.
Researchers from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology were able to identify reef-building corals called Scleractinia using environmental DNA, as Phys.org shared.
The eDNA system, a collaboration between several Japanese universities and organizations, collects and analyzes the DNA that corals shed by gathering seawater samples.
This system detects 83 of 85 known Scleractinia in Japan, enabling scientists to monitor reef-building corals more accurately, efficiently, and cost-effectively.
The OIST explained that prior to this system, trained divers and snorkelers performed time-consuming and often imprecise coral surveys. Underwater video imaging improved these surveys, but large-scale, comprehensive assessments remained challenging.
But eDNA solves that challenge. While researchers produced the technology in 2021, they were unable to utilize it due to an absence of data to compare the DNA to.
The latest development of this technology included sequencing the DNA of two-thirds of Japan's known Scleractinia to establish a more complete database, and scientists discovered a previously unknown diversity of reef-building corals in the process.
Corals, and the reefs they produce, play host to some of the most biologically diverse ecosystems in the world.
About 25% of the ocean's fish rely on coral reefs, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and fish and other organisms use corals for shelter, food, and reproduction.
Coral reefs also benefit coastal communities, protecting them from storms and erosion and supporting their economies.
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The NOAA stated that over half a billion people depend on reefs for food, income, and protection, while their net economic value is estimated to be tens of billions of U.S. dollars per year. These ecosystems are culturally important, too.
But rising ocean temperatures threaten coral reefs. Warmer temperatures can cause coral bleaching and death, affecting both corals and the species that rely on them. The eDNA technology can help scientists monitor coral reefs as they adapt to these changes.
"Corals can now be found at the entrance to Tokyo Bay — another sign of climate change reshaping marine ecosystems," Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Professor Nori Satoh said. "Such shifts highlight the urgent need for accurate monitoring, and our newly developed system offers a powerful solution."
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