Scientists have successfully bred corals with improved heat tolerance, marking a potential breakthrough in reef conservation.
Why it matters: Coral reefs support 25% of marine life and protect coastlines from storms. Rising ocean temperatures threaten their survival, making heat-resistant corals crucial for ecosystem preservation.
- Marine heatwaves have caused widespread coral bleaching and death globally.
Key finding: Selective breeding increased coral heat tolerance by approximately 1°C/week within one generation, though this improvement may not be enough to match climate change’s pace.
“This work shows that selective breeding is feasible but not a silver bullet solution.”
Liam Lachs, Postdoctoral Research Associate at Newcastle University
The process:
- Researchers tested two breeding approaches:
- Short intense heat exposure (10 days, +3.5°C)
- Long-term exposure (1 month, +2.5°C)
- Selected parent colonies based on heat tolerance levels
Keep in mind: Short-stress tolerance breeding didn’t improve survival during extended heat exposure, suggesting these traits may be genetically independent.
Real-world impact: This research opens doors for coral reef restoration programs but requires significant scaling and further research to be practically viable.
- The findings suggest that while human intervention can help, it must be combined with aggressive climate action to be effective.
TL;DR
- Scientists successfully bred more heat-tolerant corals, proving selective breeding could help preserve reef ecosystems.
- The improvement was modest, highlighting the critical need for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
- More research is needed to maximize breeding outcomes and understand genetic trait correlations.
Read the Paper
Selective breeding enhances coral heat tolerance to marine heatwaves