Scientists using custom water flumes will study growing acidity’s effects on coral

Coral reef near Guanica Bay (Credit: NOAA)

Biologists at California State University, Northridge will expand their study corals off the coast of French Polynesia thanks to a grant from the National Science Foundation, according to a release. The funding will provide for expansion of research there into a yearlong experiment.

The focus of the long-term investigation is to quantify effects of more acidic waters on the health of coral reefs. Scientists plan to employ custom-built water flumes to control the precise pH levels that coral tissues are exposed to.

Those involved with the study say the experiment will help them forecast what effects ocean acidification may have on the health of reefs in the region. Many researchers believe that corals will simply dissolve away with more acidic oceans, and the CSUN team is looking to test that hypothesis.

Image: Coral reef near Guanica Bay (Credit: NOAA)