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Coral reefs ‘generate’ new species
"They are not only ecologically important for the marine environment, but also in an evolutionary sense."
- Wolfgang Kiessling, Scientist, Humboldt University
While coral reefs have long been known to attract a diverse range of species, the undersea areas also act as cradles of evolution, according to new research.
The study, which is published in the journal Science, says that coral reefs give rise to more new species than other tropical marine habitats, with fresh genera originating 50% faster in the areas compared to other environments.