Coral reefs

Coral reefs play a disproportionately large role in tropical seas and the deeper oceans. We try to understand why they flourish in these nutrient-limited environments.

Surviving in a Deep-Sea Desert - Uncovering the Functioning of Cold Water Coral Reefs in the Deep Ocean
The deep sea harbors one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on our planet: cold-water coral reefs. Like tropical corals, cold water corals form structurally complex habitats supporting diverse communities. The cold-water coral paradox: how can such a rich ecosystem thrive in an environment that is considered to be food-limited. This paradox is the focus of integrated study on the delivery, uptake and processing of organic matter by cold-water coral reef communities in both the EU-project ATLAS and the VIDI-Van Oevelen.

Cold water reefs - Rockall Bank