How Coral Reefs Have Regulated Earth's Climate for 250 Million Years
Imagine coral reefs not just as vibrant underwater havens, but as Earth's master regulators of the carbon cycle for over 250 million years. When thriving on expansive tropical shelves, they lock away calcium carbonate in shallow seas, weakening the ocean's ability to absorb CO2 spikes from events like volcanic eruptions and slowing climate recovery. But when reefs shrink due to tectonic shifts or falling sea levels, deep-ocean alkalinity surges, turbocharging the biological pump and speeding planetary rebound - while sparking plankton evolution booms.
