Deep Coral Reefs Are No Haven From Climate Change, Researchers Find

A diver conducting a transect of a mesophotic reef. (Credit: Luiz Rocha © 2018 California Academy of Sciences) The deep reefs that lie out of sight of human eyes aren't similarly shielded from our destructive behaviors. A recent study of mesophotic reefs, those lying between 100 and 500 feet below the surface, finds many of the same issues plaguing reefs at shallower depths. It's overturning previous theories that deep reefs might be protected by virtue of their remote location, and that they could potentially serve as a haven of sorts for imperiled species living in shallower areas.