This program is aligned with NOAA’s
activities that are directed to meeting the goal of the National Action Plan to
Conserve Coral Reefs, i.e., to develop a comprehensive understanding of coral reef
ecosystems and thus improve the stewardship of these valuable resources.
These activities include studying the causes of coral reef decline, determining the
impacts of natural and human-induced stresses on reef ecosystems, and seeking effective
solutions to reduce human impacts.
Research elements at
CCEHBR includes the development and application of diagnostic
methods for early detection of coral diseases, determination of patterns of coral
gene expression and genetic mechanisms of resistance and susceptibility to disease,
exploring the role of microbes in coral pathogenesis, developing a readily accessible
registry of coral diseases, and establishing rapid response teams for investigating
coral disease outbreaks, and the study of deep-sea coral ecology and stressor impacts.
Read more about
CCEHBR's research on corals.