Corals frozen in time could be lifeline for Great Barrier Reef

Rows of tanks filled with liquid nitrogen sit in temperature-controlled chambers at Sydney's Taronga zoo, cradling parts of the Great Barrier Reef's diverse and magnificent corals frozen in time.

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SYDNEY - Rows of tanks filled with liquid nitrogen sit in temperature-controlled chambers at Sydney's Taronga zoo, cradling parts of the Great Barrier Reef's diverse and magnificent corals frozen in time.

The world's largest store of cryogenically frozen coral is a frosty Noah's Ark for an ecosystem that scientists warn could be the first to disappear if climate change is not combatted fast enough.

Trillions of cells from dozens of key coral species on the Great Barrier Reef — collected each year during mass spawning — offer the chance to regenerate damaged and diminished corals now and into the future.

"Essentially, a pause button has been pressed on their biological clocks," said Ms Justine O'Brien, manager of conservation science at Taronga Conservation Society Australia.

"I hope our collective efforts can help to retain the reef's beautiful diversity," she told AFP.

Since the coral programme began in 2011, Taronga's CryoDiversity Bank has been intruding annually on the Great Barrier Reef's spawning, when corals send eggs and sperm into the waters for breeding.

Scientists collect the sperm and mix it with cryoprotectants, which remove water as the samples freeze, and protect internal cell structures.