Corals have genetic resistance to warming oceans, research from Stanford University has found. The study provides hope for conserving coral reefs.
Comparing heat-resistant and heat-sensitive corals, the researchers found under stress both corals switch on genes for damage control. However heat-resistant corals “front-load” these genes - switching them on even under normal conditions.
The study proposes heat-resistant corals could be mapped and prioritised for conservation.
Read more at Stanford University