What happens after coral is bleached?(1 point)
Responses
The coral produces peroxides.
The coral produces peroxides.
The coral dies immediately.
The coral dies immediately.
The coral releases algae into the ocean.
The coral releases algae into the ocean.
The coral is susceptible to starvation.
The coral is susceptible to starvation.
3 answers
The coral is more susceptible to disease and mortality.
could you eleborate
Certainly! When coral undergoes bleaching, it loses its symbiotic algae known as zooxanthellae, which provide the coral with energy through photosynthesis. Without these algae, the coral becomes stressed and more vulnerable to diseases. As a result, the coral's health deteriorates and it becomes more susceptible to mortality. Over time, if the stressors causing the bleaching persist, the coral may eventually die.