The EDGE of Existence team have launched a new conservation project focussed on endangered coral species. From the EDGE (Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered) blog:
Coral reefs are the most diverse marine ecosystem on earth but are threatened with functional extinction in the next 20 -50 years due predominantly to global climate change. In direct response to this the EDGE of Existence team are developing a new conservation programme focusing on EDGE coral species. Hard corals (order: Scleractinia) lay down the calcium carbonate structures of the reef and as such are the very foundation of the reef ecosystem, yet one third of all Scleractinian coral species are listed as threatened.
At an international conference in March 2010, scientists and conservationists came together at the Zoological Society of London to identify 10 of the most Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered coral species. After careful evaluation using the most comprehensive Scleractinian phylogeny available (Fukami et al, 2008) and expert opinion 32 species of Scleractinian coral from across the globe have been added to the new EDGE of Existence Coral reefs list and 10 of these species have been selected for future conservation attention by EDGE Fellows.
The EDGE team are now working towards identifying EDGE Fellows to conserve our 10 focal coral species helping to build in-country coral reef conservation capacity and to initiate conservation actions for these species.
There are several Caribbean coral species on the EDGE list, including Elkhorn coral, Staghorn coral, Pillar coral and Elliptical star coral. You can visit the beautiful EDGE Coral Reefs website to learn more.
See also: a slideshow of the 10 priority coral species, and accompanying article, from the Guardian newspaper. (Thanks to Alana for the heads-up on the Guardian article.)
Previously on Green Antilles: Mammals and amphibians on the EDGE of existence.
