New Method Reversed Doomed Bleached Coral at Record Speed
Researchers found direct contact lets healthy coral transfer symbiotic algae to a bleached neighbor, restoring color in as little as 3 days.
- On Wednesday, Stanford University researchers published findings in Science Advances showing that bleached corals can fully recover through brief contact with healthy, genetically identical counterparts.
- Powerful laser microscopy revealed that coral tissues fuse shortly after contact, creating a "nutrient highway" that transfers life-giving algal symbionts and triggers recovery in just three days.
- Lead author Danny Collins assembled 10 pairs of cauliflower corals, finding that five days of contact enabled bleached fragments to recover fully within seven weeks.
- The technique requires genetically identical corals, or "genet," limiting real-world scale; Collins noted bleached corals "really shouldn't be thought of as a lost cause."
- Researchers are now exploring alternative ways to deliver beneficial algae without continuous contact; co-author Fiorenza Micheli stated these insights "open the door to what's possible and may lead to the breakthrough we need to accelerate reef restoration.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Healthy corals help bleached neighbours regain colour, study shows
The world’s coral reefs face an existential threat from rising seawater temperatures that trigger widespread bleaching, a problem driven by climate change and compounded by this year’s intense El Nino phenomenon.
Reefs face a serious threat from ocean warming-induced bleaching, exacerbated by El Niño. A new study suggests that contact with healthy corals could reverse this process. Stanford scientists found that the transfer of healthy symbiotes between corals can start their recovery.The finding could revolutionize interventions to save these ecosystems.
Healthy corals help bleached neighbors regain color: study
The secret? A healthy piece of coral that the patient can lean against for a few weeks. This is what coral looks like after it has lost all its nutrients…
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