Anthozoa

The world is not doing enough to protect coral reefs, the United Nations' special envoy for the ocean said Tuesday in defense of the marine ecosystems that protect biodiversity, sustain underwater life and produce some of the oxygen we breathe.

In a pioneering study shedding light on the hidden world of corals, researchers have taken a closer look at how coral microbiomes adapt when faced with a critical challenge: hypoxia, or dangerously low oxygen levels in the surrounding water.

Out of 5,610 identified coral species, an estimated 232 are threatened with extinction

The vital underwater coral bridge between the Mediterranean and Marmara Sea is expected to be fully restored by 2024, thanks to DP World Yarımca's Yellow Coral Conservation Project that is being carried out with Istanbul University and the Marine Life Conservation Society (DYKD).

Environmental activists and academics have joined forces to revive the corals of the Princes' Islands and create a conservation area off Istanbul's coasts.