Researchers from the National University of Mar del Plata (UNMdP) discovered a coral garden off the coast, and were surprised by its enormous dimensions.
Located about 24 kilometers from the city of Buenos Aires, it is in shallow waters.
A coral garden off the coast of Mar del Plata: the discovery
The surprising discovery, led by researcher Gabriel Genzano, took place in warm and shallow waters.
“The garden has many years. I had dived it for the first time over 20 years ago,” detailed the scientist in an interview with the program Buenas Mañanas, from Canal 8.
The coral garden.
Genzano explained that coral is a colonial animal that “in some cases secretes calcium skeletons”. In that sense, he detailed: “They are very territorial fish. We are studying all hard bottoms“.
The discovery took place 24 kilometers from Mar del Plata. It is located between 26 and 35 meters deep in the Patria Bank. These corals developed on a coquina reef, a rock formed by sand and cemented shell remains.
“It shows that coral gardens are not limited to deep and cold waters,” he added.
The discovery opens up new opportunities for science, the conservation of the Argentine sea, and its impact on the planet’s balance.
“What is most surprising about this discovery is the density of the corals, as several hundred colonies per square meter have been recorded”, stated Pablo Meretta, Ph.D. in Biological Sciences and lecturer and researcher at UNMDP.
“Although this species of soft coral can be found at shallower depths and in other rocky reefs in Mar del Plata, it is always found in much lower abundances,” he detailed to Citecus.com.
What is a coral garden
What is a coral garden.
Coral gardens are formations smaller than reefs and generally develop in deep and cold waters. Hence the surprise of the discovery on the Buenos Aires coast.
The main characteristic is a relatively dense aggregation of colonies or individuals of one or more coral species.
Corals are marine invertebrate animals that form colonies and produce a calcium carbonate skeleton. They are part of the cnidarians group, which also includes jellyfish and anemones.
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