Snorkeling is part of the job for Caroline Rogers, a coral reef ecologist with the US Geological Survey (USGS). She probably thought she knew what to expect when diving amongst a patch of mangrove roots in the US Virgin Islands. However, when she sailed her way into Hurricane Hole she was blown away by her discovery.
The scientist was greeted by the bright colors and animal inhabitants of a healthy coral reef with more than 30 different species. While coral appears in the Caribbean, the vast variety and healthy state of the coral was unexpected there.
“I was just amazed at what I found,” said Rogers, according to LiveScience. “As far as I know right now, the abundance and diversity of corals, the sheer number of different species I found in here, is unique in the Caribbean.”
In 2005, area waters reached record highs and most of the coral was damaged. The warm waters caused a bout of coral bleaching, which weakened and killed off much of the coral. The bleaching can be caused not only by high water temperatures, but also stressors such as ocean acidification, overfishing and too much light. During this time, coral in the US Virgin Islands became diseased, as well, killing 60 percent of the reefs.
Studying the coral of Hurricane Hole, Rogers believes that they were there prior to the heatwave in 2005. So why were they preserved? The answer leans toward the mangrove roots. They may have acted as protection from excessive light, or since activities like fishing and waterskiing are banned in the area, it may have sheltered the coral from human-caused damage.
What is most promising about the discovery, aside from another exhibit of nature’s beauty, is that scientists can now take what they learn from Hurricane Hole and realize more ways to preserve coral reefs, which are seriously threatened due to climate change.
Photo by Caroline Rogers/USGS via LiveScience.