Coral Color: Studying the Correlation Between Light Intensity and Coral Pigmentation

One of the most fundamental traits of a coral is their pigmentation. Coral can be found in a wide variety of colors, spanning almost the entire spectrum. However, little is know about the function or cause of pigmentation. Coloration is not a genetic trait in the coral, and the environmental factors influencing the pigmentation are unknown. It is thought that the pigments may play a photoprotective role in the coral. This research tested whether pigmentation is correlated with intensity of light that the coral receives.

Research was conducted in the field at Palmyra Atoll, measuring the change in light intensity from the surface as well as pigmentation in 27 corals of 8 species. No statistically significant evidence for correlation between the variables was found. In fact, the correlation was so insignificant it suggests that light intensity is not a factor of coral pigmentation.
The research holds significance as it could be used to develop better reef health monitoring systems, helps to unlock the little understood causes of coral pigmentation, and uses a novel technique of pigment classification.