Source: EcoWatch
Author: Nathan Johnson
The deep sea might be cold and dark, but it’s not barren. Down here, an incredible diversity of corals shelters young fish like grouper, snapper and rockfish. Sharks, rays and other species live and feed here their whole lives.
Brightly colored coral gardens, far beyond the reach of the sun’s rays, don’t just nurture deep-sea life. They also help advance medical research and understand climate change.
Crucial though they are, such deep-dwelling corals are rarely glimpsed and easy to overlook. They don’t get much notice from us on the surface. Here are five reasons they are worthy of respect—and attention.
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