Soft-Coral Slumping
- Context: Researchers observed extensive soft-coral slumping in waters off the southern coast of Jeju Island, South Korea.
- About Jeju Island: Jeju is a volcanic island in the East China Sea and is recognised as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
- What is soft-coral slumping? It refers to the loss or collapse of the hydrostatic support system that helps soft corals maintain their upright form. Changes in the pressure of fluid within their body cavity can cause the colonies to droop or collapse.
- Possible drivers: Although a definitive cause has not yet been established, persistently low salinity and elevated seawater temperatures have been identified as associated environmental stressors.
- Species affected: The phenomenon has been reported particularly among non-symbiotic soft corals of the family Nephtheidae, including Dendronephthya gigantea.
- How it occurs: Changes in internal fluid pressure reduce the coral’s hydrostatic support, making it difficult for the colony to retain its normal upright structure.