{"id":7556,"date":"2019-10-18T10:49:02","date_gmt":"2019-10-18T14:49:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/edfish\/?p=7556"},"modified":"2019-10-18T10:49:02","modified_gmt":"2019-10-18T14:49:02","slug":"more-hope-for-corals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/edfish\/2019\/10\/18\/more-hope-for-corals\/","title":{"rendered":"More Hope for Corals"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Nearly three years ago, I broke with conventional wisdom to note that there was ample reason to have hope for coral reefs<\/a> despite the very obvious threats associated with global climate change, including both warming and acidification. Since then, researchers \u2014 and coral-lovers of all stripes from all over the world \u2014 have made important progress in identifying ways to sustain corals against difficult odds.<\/p>\n

By far the most important conclusion is that there is no single correct pathway forward. Rather, there are many different possibilities that, taken together, could help provide pathways for corals and coral reef conservation, providing we also achieve significant reductions in projected greenhouse gas emissions. Let me walk you through some of the most promising discoveries.<\/p>\n

The key to understanding these pathways forward is in first unraveling the complex symbiosis between coral animals and their internal microalgal symbionts: much like the human gut relies on bacteria for health, so too do corals rely on their internal comrades. All corals host these so-called zooxanthellae, key partners in life in nutrient-poor tropical oceans, but also the elements that give coral colonies most of their color. In fact, \u201cbleaching\u201d occurs when these microalgae are expelled during times of stress, such as during warming events, when corals lack adequate oxygen to maintain them.<\/p>\n

So, what solutions might work to keep corals healthy? These new approaches break down into three different pathways:<\/p>\n