A Probiotic for Corals Researchers seek to save reefs at the microscopic level
https://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2020/06/a-probiotic-for-corals/
Marine researchers at the University of Hawaii and San Diego State University are studying the use of coral probiotics, much like human probiotics, to help coral reefs in their microscopic battles for health.
Though corals worldwide are threatened by rising sea temperatures and other local stressors, much of the wars are fought at the chemical and bacterial levels, the researchers say. Under stress, many reefs usually dominated by coral are now shifting to systems dominated by turf and fleshy algae.
“Understanding the role of bacteria and viruses in ecological processes allows us to think of new and interesting ways to help save corals from local and global stressors,” said Ty Roach, postdoctoral researcher at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, part of the University of Hawaii-Manoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology.
