Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.
American Association for Cancer Research

Site Tools

  • AAAS
  • Subscribe
  • Feedback

Site Search

Search Advanced

Science 28 April 2006:
Vol. 312. no. 5773, pp. 543 - 547
DOI: 10.1126/science.1119861
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Review

Reefs of the Deep: The Biology and Geology of Cold-Water Coral Ecosystems

J. Murray Roberts,1 Andrew J. Wheeler,2 André Freiwald3

Coral reefs are generally associated with shallow tropical seas; however, recent deep-ocean exploration using advanced acoustics and submersibles has revealed unexpectedly widespread and diverse coral ecosystems in deep waters on continental shelves, slopes, seamounts, and ridge systems around the world. Advances reviewed here include the use of corals as paleoclimatic archives and their biogeological functioning, biodiversity, and biogeography. Threats to these fragile, long-lived, and rich ecosystems are mounting: The impacts of deep-water trawling are already widespread, and effects of ocean acidification are potentially devastating.

1 Scottish Association for Marine Science, Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory, Oban, Argyll, PA37 1QA, UK.
2 Department of Geology and Environmental Research Institute, Donovan's Road, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
3 Institute of Paleontology, Erlangen University, Loewenichstrasse 28, D-91054, Erlangen, Germany.

Read the Full Text


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Ocean Acidification and Its Potential Effects on Marine Ecosystems.
J. M. Guinotte and V. J. Fabry (2008)
Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 1134, 320-342
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Age constraints on the origin and growth history of a deep-water coral mound in the northeast Atlantic drilled during Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expedition 307.
A. Kano, T. G. Ferdelman, T. Williams, J.-P. Henriet, T. Ishikawa, N. Kawagoe, C. Takashima, Y. Kakizaki, K. Abe, S. Sakai, et al. (2007)
Geology 35, 1051-1054
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


ADVERTISEMENT
Click Me!

ADVERTISEMENT
Click Me!

To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)