How Do Corals Survive In The Hottest Reefs On The Planet?

image credit: Toby Hudson cc
Coral reefs are predicted to decline under the pressure of global warming. However, a number of coral species can survive at seawater temperatures even higher than predicted. In the Arabian/Persian Gulf, corals survive seawater temperatures of up to 36° Celsius (96.8° Fahreheit) every summer, heat levels that would kill corals elsewhere.
In their study, the NOCS team worked closely with NYUAD researchers to select and characterise model corals from the Arabian/Persian Gulf, which will facilitate future molecular-scale investigations into why they can tolerate heat stress.