Colorful, hardened algae that dot the ocean floor from Alaska to Mexico often set the tone for which plant and invertebrate species inhabit a given ecological community.
Colorful, hardened algae that dot the ocean floor from Alaska to Mexico often set the tone for which plant and invertebrate species inhabit a given ecological community.
But as rising temperatures change the chemistry of ocean waters, a Florida State University researcher said these almost rock-like organisms called coralline algae are changing too. That could mean a great shift to the overall ecosystem.
“They are almost the canary in the coal mine,” said Assistant Professor of Biological Science Sophie McCoy. “Their interactions with other species make them more valuable than people give them credit.”
McCoy’s research is published in the journal Global Change Biology.
Coralline algae have a hard skeleton and are often pink, red, purple, yellow or gray-green. Most people wading in the sea barely notice the algae, but they release chemical cues that tell invertebrates or plant species whether the environment is hospitable.
Read more at Florida State University
Image: Coralline algae have a hard skeleton and are often pink, red, purple, yellow or gray-green. Courtesy of Assistant Professor Sophie McCoy
