Studying Corals in Extreme Environments  

At the Benthic ECOlogy ReseArch Lab (BECORAL), we explore how marine calcifying organisms, like corals, build their biomineralized structures and how this process is influenced by shifting ocean conditions. By combining fieldwork at natural CO₂ vents and upwelling zones with laboratory experiments, we investigate the physiological, structural, and molecular mechanisms that govern coral physiology and growth.

From deciphering the proteins that guide biomineral formation to identifying coral refugia in both shallow and deep-sea environments, our work bridges scales to understand how corals respond to environmental stressors and how, as foundational species, they build complex three-dimensional reef structures that support hundreds of marine species and sustain vibrant ocean ecosystems.

Why It Matters

Coral reefs act as a habitat, nursery, and feeding ground which are just a few of the essential roles that coral reefs provide to marine ecosystems. They play a vital role in supporting our food industry, and economy and even serve as a unique ground for medical discovery. Coral reefs protect our coastlines from storms and erosion, sequester carbon from the atmosphere, and sustain our fisheries just to name a few of the benefits.

% of marine life that depends on coral reefs

million metric tons of carbon sequestered by coral reefs each year

million people rely on coral reefs for their livelihood

billion-dollar coral reef tourism industry 

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