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2016 - 2018

Tara Pacific – A new approach to the biodiversity of coral reefs

Given that most coral reefs have been set to disappear in recent years, studying this fragile and threatened ecosystem is becoming a priority. Tara has been sailing the Pacific Ocean from East to West and from North to South for two and a half years. Main objective: to explore the hidden diversity of the coral and gain a better understanding of its abilities to adapt to climate change.

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Tara Pacific

The highlights

Amongst the coral

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Tara Pacific, the most extensive of coral studies

Studying the biodiversity of coral reefs, from their genome to the ecosystem, understanding the health of coral reefs in the specific context of climate change, exploring the ability of resistance, adaptation and resilience of these habitats in the face of climate change.

Photographie des fonds marins et des coraux lors de l'expédition Tara Pacific.

©David Hannan

The highlights

Amongst the coral

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Coral, architect of the seabed

Coral reefs are the biggest biobuilding on our planet and are visible from space, that is the biggest mineral construction formed by animals.

La grande barrière de corail photographiée de l'espace lors de l'expédition Tara Pacific.

©NASA – GSFC – LaRC – JPL, MISR Team

The highlights

Amongst the coral

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A unique ecosystemic approach

3,000 colonies spread over 100 sites will be studied on the Tara Pacific expedition.

Échantillonnage des coraux par un plongeur de la mission scientifique Tara Pacific.

©David Hannan

The highlights

Amongst the coral

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Coral – animal, vegetable and mineral

A coral reef is a living construction formed by polyps with a mouth surrounded by tentacles at the top. The lower part of the polyps forms a skeleton which constitutes the base of the construction of the coral reef.

Photographie d'un récif corallien de tubastrea.

©Studios BioQuest

The highlights

Amongst the coral

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Shikine ocean acidification laboratory

Ten sites are being studied for their local problems when specific natural conditions make it possible to extrapolate the evolution of the reefs. In Japan for example, areas with a very low pH, because of sources of volcanic CO2, make it possible to study the responses of biodiversity in the face of an acidified ocean, as it would be in 2100 if we do not reduce our CO2 emissions.

Blanchissement des coraux lors d'un phénomène d'acidification de l'Océan.

©David Hannan

Under the surface with the scientists

Tara Pacific

The major discoveries

The most extensive of coral studies

From the gene to the ecosystem

At the heart of the DNA of coral

Hyperdiver, coral under the scanner

Coral – tomorrow?

Shipping of samples, a race against time

By immersion

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