Reef as Refuge

Scientists have predicted that ocean temperatures will rise in the equatorial Pacific by the end of the century, wreaking havoc on coral reef ecosystems. But a new study published by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution scientists Kristopher Karnauskas and Anne Cohen in the April 29 issue of the journal Nature Climate Change shows something different. Climate change could cause ocean currents to operate in a surprising way and mitigate the warming near a handful of islands right on the equator. As a result these Pacific islands may become isolated refuges for corals and fish.(Photo courtesy of Anne Cohen, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)