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DISCO in the Garden

July 19, 2018

During a joint U.S.-Cuban expedition to Jardines de la Reina (Gardens of the Queen) in November 2017, WHOI biogeochemist Colleen Hansel tested DISCO, a newly built sensor to investigate coral health and resilience in one of the most pristine reefs in the Caribbean. Hansel built the instrument with help from fellow biogeochemist Scott Wankel and research engineers Jason Kapit and Kevin Manganini with funding by Schmidt Marine Technology Partners to detect superoxide, a short-lived chemical that is often implicated in coral bleaching. Data collected by Hansel and microbiologist Amy Apprill suggest superoxide may also increase the resilience of some coral species to stress. (Photo courtesy of Andrew Babbin, Massachusetts Institute of Technology)