Amid a host of problems for the world's oceans, last week brought a reminder that coral reefs, the sentinel species for measuring the health of the seas, are taking a beating. One-third of all coral reef species face extinction worldwide, reports the latest study, released by Science magazine, with more species looking threatened. "Whether corals actually go extinct this century will depend on the continued severity of climate change, the extent of other environmental disturbances, and the ability of corals to adapt," say the study authors, led by Kent Carpenter of Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va. Coral extinctions "will threaten the geologic structure of reefs and their coastal protection function, and have huge economic effects on food security for hundreds of millions of people dependent on reef fish," concludes the study. The news comes with the closing of the 11th International Coral Reef Symposium in Fort Lauderdale, a worldwide gathering of coral experts that takes place every four years. Not much of the news from the meeting was good: