Photo of the day

When imagining a reef, many of us typically picture a tropical habitat. In addition to these stunning types of reef, though, corals grow in vast numbers along coastlines in different climates — including as part of the temperate reef in today’s photo. Temperate reefs are found in the planet’s cooler waters, and instead of being composed of just coral, can be build out of seaweeds, bivalve mollusks, plants, and even worms! Myriads of marine species make their homes in or rely on temperate reefs, with these ecosystems acting as essential nurseries and feeding grounds, for example. Every reef, no matter what climate it’s in or where it is in the world, is vital to the well-being of people and planet 🌏 💙