deep reefs

Scientists analysing DNA from bacteria living on the gills of coral reef fish have found genes used in chemosynthesis, a process normally associated with deep-sea vent microbes rather than sunlit reefs. The findings suggest gill-dwelling bacteria may draw energy from chemicals such as sulfur compounds instead of light, hinting at a little-understood symbiotic role in reef ecosystems.

A newly reported scientific effort is shedding light on the ocean's 'deep reefs' — little-known coral and rocky ecosystems lying in dim waters beyond the reach of typical diving surveys. Researchers are using advanced exploration methods to document what lives there and how these hidden habitats function, as interest grows in protecting deep-sea environments.