Coral displays its brilliant colour thanks to zooxanthellae. These microscopic algae co-exist with the coral. When this symbiotic relationship breaks down, the zooxanthellae are expelled from the ...

In the coastal seas episode, we see the devastating scenes of coral bleaching – how whole reef ecosystems which once teamed with ... What gives them their brilliant colour are the billions of algae - ...

Coral bleaching is a natural response of corals to environmental stress, where corals expel the microscopic algae called zooxanthellae. These algae provide most of the coral’s food and vibrant ...

NOAA Coral Reef Watch coordinator. Photo: Shutterstock When corals bleach, they expel zooxanthellae, the microscopic, single-celled algae in their tissues. Normally, as these algae photosynthesize ...

April 23 (UPI) --More than 80% of the world's coral reefs fell victim to harmful bleaching and is now ... will expel the algae -- otherwise known as zooxanthellae -- living in their tissues ...

However when seas are particularly calm with high temperatures the zooxanthellae are expelled which eventually results in the hard corals "bleaching", turning bright white. This weakens the coral ...