Coral reefs are certainly not confined to the shallow, sunny waters of the tropics. More than half of around 5,000 known species of corals live in cold and deep waters.
Where are the coral reefs in the UK?
The main reef-forming coral in UK waters is a bushy, white species, Lophelia pertusa, or Desmophyllum pertusa as some scientists prefer to call it.
Mostly located off the west coast of Scotland, Lophelia reefs are found from around 150m deep and are very slow growing.
- Best dive sites in UK: Discover 11 magical underwater worlds
- Coral reefs guide: what is coral and coral bleaching, and species to spot
A huge reef off the coasts of Barra and Mingulay in the Outer Hebrides covers more than 100km2. In the Rockall Trough, 160km north-west of Scotland’s Cape Wrath, the Darwin Mounds are thickets of Lophelia, as well as another species Madrepora oculata.
Similar to tropical reefs, coldwater reefs form important habitats for many fish and have been heavily targeted by deep-sea trawlers. Darwin Mounds were badly damaged before they were protected in 2004.
