Coral Fragments Treated With Heat-Evolved Symbionts Show Faster Recovery and Enhanced Heat Resistance

Algae living within the soft tissue of coral supply much of the energy needed by their hosts, and some symbiotic algae help coral withstand warmer water better than others. In a recently published study led by the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, researchers have found that there was a tradeoff for corals dominated by the thermally sensitive algae—they have higher growth, but only in cooler water.