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When you think of coral reefs , you probably picture scuba diver gliding through affectionate , crystallization - clear waters . And for the most part , you ’d be right-hand : more than 90 per centum of the world ’s coral Rand are located in the tropic .
Now research worker in Japan have find what is — so far — the world ’s northernmostcoral reef . situate off the coast of Tsushima Island at 34 degree north parallel of latitude , the new observe Witwatersrand is far dissimilar from other coral reefs and is 217 miles ( 350 kilometer ) north of most others in the realm .
Coral reefs discovered off the coast of Japan’s Tsushima Island are the northernmost coral reef ever found on Earth. The discovery was announced in July 2012.
" Coral reefs have been conceive to originate under warm - water preferences — at least 18 arcdegree Celsius [ 64 degrees Fahrenheit ] in winter . This stage setting is 13 degrees Celsius in wintertime [ 55 degrees Fahrenheit ] , which is incredibly humble , " Hiroya Yamano , a researcher at Japan ’s National Institute for Environmental Studies , told OurAmazingPlanet . " The species , and thus seascape , is wholly dissimilar from normal reefs . "
Unfriendly waters
A squad precede by Yamano observe a similar Rand off the coast of Japan ’s Iki Island in 2001 , and until now , that reef was the satellite ’s northernmost . The newfound Tsushima Island reef is 43 miles ( 70 kilometre ) northward of the Iki Island reef . [ image : Dazzling World of Coral , Unveiled ]
Coral reefs discovered off the coast of Japan’s Tsushima Island are the northernmost coral reef ever found on Earth. The discovery was announced in July 2012.
Yamano ’s team tracked down this Rand after poring over old manuscripts and question local residents . Their sleuthing paid off , and they eventually find out the 4,300 - yr honest-to-goodness Rand in one of Tsushima ’s murky inner bay .
" The water in this bay laurel is fundamentally turbid " — turbid with lots of suspend speck — " and water supply temperatures are depressed , especially in winter , " Yamano tell .
Both of those qualities make biography hard for most corals . But this reef is composed of a genus of corals calledFavia , a massive browned coral type . Most Witwatersrand are made up of corals from the genusAcropora , which can be a form of colour and turn in branching or platelike polyp . Faviaspecies lean totolerate frigid , turbid watersbetter thanAcroporado , Yamano said .
So why did this reef begin building itself in such an unfriendly environment ? The team is n’t certain , but Yamano conceive the Tsushima Warm Current , a stream of warm water flowing along the northwestern coast of Japan , probably aid transport coral larvae northward into the mirky internal bays of Iki and Tsushima island . Yamano thinks there may be many more undiscovered reef in similar options throughout the realm .
Changing species , changing mood ?
Reefs like this one might help researchers mensurate ecosystem change in warm oceans .
Although the Tsushima and Iki reef both formed in very inhuman weewee and predominantly houseFaviacoral metal money , Acroporacorals have begun finalize near the Reef over the last 20 years . Comparing coral species in older parts of the reef to newly arrive corals might help scientists determine how climate change andwarming urine are feign these reef ecosystems , Yamano said .
His team ’s finding were published online July 12 in the journal Geology .
