newsfilter.io

Corals: can they be saved from climate change?

The EconomistDarwin, Dr. Ruth Gates, Ginny, Yimnang Golbu, Craig
Watch on YouTube →
  • Darwin anticipates that if fish cannot be found in deeper waters, his family's survival in Palau will not last much longer.
  • Experts predict that without immediate intervention, the loss of coral reefs will cause devastating changes for the ocean and the planet, potentially eliminating one of the most significant ecosystems.
  • Scientists warn that fisheries may cease to feed and sell fish before current trends can be reversed, leaving "all gone."
  • The team has spent seven years developing methods to freeze coral samples and intends to create the world's largest repository of corals, functioning as a "Noah's Ark."
  • Frozen coral sperm is projected to remain theoretically stable in storage for hundreds or even thousands of years.
  • The team plans to transfer heat-resilience genes from Nicobay corals to other corals in different locations to facilitate selective breeding.
  • Yimnang expects that understanding Nicobay coral survival mechanisms will reveal specific genes usable for breeding those traits into other varieties.
  • Dr. Ruth Gates proposes a plan to create "super corals" through selective breeding to possess the ability to handle the stress of climate change.
  • The team expects that if action is not initiated immediately, there will be no hope of preserving and sustaining reefs.
  • It is predicted that people will eventually be forced to make difficult decisions regarding certain species and places due to irreversible changes.
  • Experts caution that without scaling up these methods, huge challenges will arise for oceans, corals, and dependent human populations.
  • The strategy of selective breeding alone is expected to be insufficient for all locations.