State-of-the-art lab to test impact of global warming on corals

A new laboratory at the Rosenstiel School will tackle the global problem of climate change impacts on corals.

Washington, Aug 23 : A new laboratory at the Rosenstiel School will tackle the global problem of climate change impacts on corals.

To be made fully operational this month, the new lab has begun to study how corals respond to the combined stress of greenhouse warming and ocean acidification.

According to the project scientists, the lab is the first to maintain corals under precisely controlled temperature and carbon dioxide conditions while exposing them to natural light conditions.

"I was interested in stressing corals at differing levels of carbon dioxide and temperatures much like they would experience in the next 50 to 100 years to see if skeletal development is affected," said Dr. Chris Langdon, one of the lab's creators.

Dr. Langdon also developed a similar lab at the University of Hawaii for studying corals at varying carbon dioxide changes alone.

"Its clear that corals of the future will see much warmer, more acidic oceans than we have now. By mimicking these same changes in the laboratory we get a much clearer idea of how these corals will respond," said Dr. Andrew Baker, co-creator and also a Rosenstiel School faculty.

ANI