Scientists have reversed coral bleaching in days by placing bleached fragments in contact with healthy ones from the same coral individual, offering hope for large-scale reef restoration.
Rising sea temperatures cause corals to expel the symbiotic algae (Symbiodiniaceae) that provide most of their nutrients, leading to starvation and death. In a new study published in Science Advances on 14 October, researchers showed that simply touching a healthy fragment allows rapid recovery.
Marine scientist Stephen Palumbi at Hopkins Marine Station noticed two coral fragments accidentally touching in a lab tank, with colour seeping into the bleached piece. Danny Collins then tested ten pairs of Pocillopora damicornis fragments, five touching and five separated. The touching pairs recovered within eight weeks, with symbiont populations doubling every four days by week two.
Using microscopy, the team found that fragments fuse via a tissue bridge, but only when genetically identical. Fragments from different species or individuals did not recover. After one week of contact, bleached branches could fully recover independently.
Source: Hacker News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing