With a Little Help From Friends—How Algae Help Corals Survive Temperature Stress

Have you ever been in the ocean and admired the many fish living on the reef? Did you notice the colorful rock-like structures? Those colorful rocks are actually animals called corals. Corals are the building blocks of reefs and provide homes for many marine species. However, corals are very sensitive to changes in the environment. Human impact has caused our oceans to become warmer. Corals are struggling to survive. But there is hope: some corals have learned to live in warm waters, such as the Red Sea, and in places with hot summers. This shows us that there is a chance for corals to survive. We studied Red Sea corals and found that they have adapted to warmer waters using specific mechanisms, and some help from their algae friends. By learning what makes some corals stronger, we can hopefully figure out a way to help the weaker corals.