--- title: Coral Bleaching - What is it? description: What is Coral Bleaching? The coral host (animal) reacts to higher-than-normal temperatures by expelling the symbiotic algae (plant) that live in their tissues and then turn completely white. image: https://blog.weaction.online/hubfs/image-png-3.png --- [![EE_logo_blue2](https://blog.weaction.online/hs-fs/hubfs/EE_logo_blue2.png?width=1055&height=488&name=EE_logo_blue2.png "EE_logo_blue2")](http://envirotech.edu.au/) [![   Request your Course Brochure.   ](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/3445426/9359bf70-9961-4673-a09a-c50a344b4139.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/3445426/9359bf70-9961-4673-a09a-c50a344b4139) # Envirotech Blog ## [Coral Bleaching - What is it?](https://blog.weaction.online/blog/saving-corals-not-only-nemo-what-is-involved) ** 17/09/2021 3:00:00 PM / by [Sander Scheffers (PhD)](https://blog.weaction.online/blog/author/sander-scheffers-phd) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) **What is Coral Bleaching?** The coral host (animal) reacts to higher-than-normal temperatures by expelling the symbiotic algae (plant) that live in their tissues and then turn completely white. The symbiotic algae, called zooxanthellae, are photosynthetic and provide their host coral with food in return for protection. Their presence gives the corals a distinctive brown/ dark colour, and fluorescent pigments or secondary metabolites, produced by the host add the vibrant colours that characterise corals. Prolonged stressful environmental conditions cause a breakdown in this symbiotic relationship, first revealing the fluorescent pigments and then leaving the white calcium carbonate (aragonite) skeleton visible through the coral tissue. Any symbiotic (containing zooxanthellae) marine animal can bleach, such as giant clams.   ![](https://blog.weaction.online/hubfs/image-png-2.png) **Image from ****[https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coral_bleach.html](https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coral_bleach.html)**   **When does it occur?** Coral bleaching occurs when corals are stressed by changes in environmental conditions. The major causes are climate change-induced warming of sea surface waters, pollution, freshwater flooding, and extremely low tides. ![](https://blog.weaction.online/hubfs/image-png-3.png) Image from [https://www.marineconservation.org.au/coral-bleaching/](https://www.marineconservation.org.au/coral-bleaching/) **Bleached corals can still obtain energy?** Bleached corals can no longer obtain energy from photosynthesis, and if bleaching persists for an extended period, corals will starve and die (of course there are exceptions, as corals have a range of feeding strategies from entirely autotrophic to entirely heterotrophic and anything in between). For those corals that survive, bleaching can deplete the corals’ energy resource to the extent that corals do not reproduce for one or two years. The threat to corals increases as the bleaching events become more frequent because they have no time to recover. As said, stress can be caused by unusually high or low sea temperatures; high or low light levels; and the presence of freshwater or pollutants. But the extent of coral bleaching depends on above-average temperatures, the duration of high-water temperatures, the specific coral and the history of the reef where the corals are growing.   _______________   ## Start a Career of Passion! **Envirotech offers the first and only VET Certificate qualification for Marine Habitat Conservation and Restoration in the entire world! **Designed by experts from around the planet. Prior to us developing this course, the only way to obtain a similar qualification to this kind was to go to university – and even then the degrees don’t compare. People study this course for many reasons – acquiring the practical skills to better prepare them for studying a Marine Biology degree, a passion for our oceans, hands-on skills so they can assist with restoring and conserving our marine habitats, and obtaining a qualification which will make a real difference. **At the Certificate III level, you learn how to problem solve and examine case studies. Group activities and field trips are conducted where you apply hands-on skills related to restoring and conserving habitats, eg: Seagrass, Corals, Sand Dunes, Rocky Shores, and Mangroves.** The theoretical and practical knowledge enables you to apply decision-making skills, conduct small conservation and restoration projects and share data and communicate information through presentations and basic reports. This qualification supports on-the-job training which enables you to enter the workforce and/or continue with further studies e.g.Certificate IV MHCR, Diploma MHCR, or University. ### Study a course that has real-life application and makes a difference in our world. Get started today!   [![Request your Course Catalogue](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/3445426/831035f2-ea46-44d8-a48e-a4dd1279ae4c.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/3445426/831035f2-ea46-44d8-a48e-a4dd1279ae4c)   Topics: [marinehabitat](https://blog.weaction.online/blog/topic/marinehabitat) ![Sander Scheffers (PhD)](https://blog.weaction.online/hs-fs/hubfs/sander.png?width=100&height=100&name=sander.png) #### Written by [Sander Scheffers (PhD)](https://blog.weaction.online/blog/author/sander-scheffers-phd) Sander has 26 years’ experience in the Marine Sciences. He is an associate Research Fellow for the Carribbean Research Institute for Marine Biodiversity (Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles) and an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the University of Queensland (Australia). Sander’s research focuses on Coral Reef Ecology, Marine Biology, Coral Aquaculture, Coastal Geomorphology, Sea Level Fluctuations, Extreme Wave Events and Climate Change. 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For more than 13 years we have dedicated ourselves to educational and innovative growth, combining technology with environmentally responsible decisions - both in business and in education.  Envirotech wrote and had accredited the first and only VET Certificate qualifications for *Marine Habitat Conservation and Restoration* (10749NAT, 10750NAT), in the entire world. Envirotech[ Privacy Policy.](https://blog.weaction.online/hubfs/Policies%20terms%20and%20conditions/Privacy%20policy.pdf) #### Contact Us ** ** [enrolments@envirotech.edu.au](mailto:enrolments@envirotech.edu.au) ** Dive Centre building, 2/54-56 Paradise Ave, Miami, Queensland 4220 Copyright 2026 | Designed with ** by [HubSpot](https://www.hubspot.com) [**](https://blog.weaction.online/blog/saving-corals-not-only-nemo-what-is-involved#)