Coral reef ecosystems are severely threatened by climate change. The urgent need to address the issue is driving a new era of innovation in reef science, shown by a global multidisciplinary exploration of different approaches to enhance coral resilience.

An international team including KAUST professors Manuel Aranda and Raquel Peixoto, with adjunct professor Chris Voolstra, have proposed an adaptive framework to increase the resilience of corals in the face of climate change.

The team proposes integrating current approaches that center around restoring reef cover with emerging approaches, such as selective sexual propagation, coral probiotics and environmental hardening, to enhance coral’s stress resilience and allow reefs to regrow under changed environmental conditions.

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Image: A team of international researchers led by KAUST proposes an adaptive framework to increase the resilience of corals in the face of climate change.
© 2021 KAUST; Morgan Bennett Smith.