Lab Studies Show Bleached Corals Recover via Contact-Mediated Algae Transfer

Two recent scientific studies demonstrated that bleached corals can recover their symbiotic algae and revive through brief physical contact with healthy corals.

Researchers found that direct contact between bleached and healthy coral fragments of the same genetic background allows rapid symbiont recolonization within days to weeks.

A separate study successfully injected a lab-created heat-tolerant algal strain into chemically bleached coral species to enhance their resilience against ocean warming.