Is there a decrease in the variety of coral colors after the bleaching event?

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BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Question: Is there a decrease in the variety of coral colors after the bleaching event?
Option: Yes

To evaluate this, consider what happens during coral bleaching: corals expel the symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) or lose their pigments, which are responsible for much of the color in healthy coral tissue. When these colors fade, the overall palette of colors seen in a reef tends to become more uniform and pale. As a result, the diversity of coral colors typically decreases after bleaching, since many corals lose their vibrant hues and appear whitened or washed out.

If we were to consider alternative options, we would assess whether bleaching could preserve or increase color variety. In practice, bleaching removes or reduces the pigments contributing to color, making such a scenario unlikely. Bleaching also tends to affect different coral colonies similarly in terms of pigment loss, reducing heterogeneity in coloration across the reef.

Additionally, the question presents only a single choice: Yes. In the real-world biology of coral bleaching, the expectation is that color diversity declines due to the loss of symbiont-derived pigments and the bleaching whitening effect, rather than increasing color variation or maintaining rich color diversity.

In summary, the bleaching event disrupts the normal pigment-based coloration mechanisms in corals, leading to a noticeable reduction in color variety rather than an increase or maintenance of diversity.

Section Merge: Earth 103N (Spring 2025) Module 7 Lab Submission (Graded)

Is there a decrease in the variety of coral colors after the bleaching event?

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