Coral reef ecosystems are severely threatened by climate change. The urgent need to address the issue is driving a new era of innovation in reef science, shown by a global multidisciplinary exploration of different approaches to enhance coral resilience.

An international team including KAUST professors Manuel Aranda and Raquel Peixoto, with adjunct professor Chris Voolstra, have proposed an adaptive framework to increase the resilience of corals in the face of climate change.

Coral reefs are rapidly degrading all over the world due to climate change and human activity. This phenomenon has dire consequences on the livelihoods of almost one billion people who directly depend on the ecosystem services delivered through healthy tropical reefs. Based on current projections, and without active intervention, coral reefs may become extinct by the year 2050.