CORAL "SUPERHIGHWAY" FOUND IN INDIAN OCEAN
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12 March 2024
The coral reefs near Seychelles are one of the world's most beautiful and fragile ecosystems
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Now, a new research has said that these reefs, spread across millions of kilometres, are closely related
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The study is based on genetic analyses and oceanographic modelling of remote coral reefs
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The Oxford University researchers found this coral "superhighway" is fed by a network of ocean currents
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The research has been published in Scientific Reports and mentions larval supply as a key factor
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The researchers collected coral samples from 19 different reef sites around the islands for the study
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An in-depth genetic analysis revealed recent movement of genes between all sample sites
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Oceanographic modelling allowed them to simulate the process of larval dispersal, showing pathways between the reefs
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Researchers said that this data could help identify major larval sources, and speed up reef restoration effort
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The findings come shortly after experts warned that coral reefs in the Great Barrier Reef are in "grave danger"
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