Heat-tolerant corals may be more vulnerable to disease
Corals that partner with heat-tolerant algae may be better equipped to survive warming oceans—but that resilience comes with an unexpected trade-off, according to a new study from Boston University published in Science Advances.
Corals that partner with heat-tolerant algae may be more vulnerable to disease, according to a new study. While these corals can better withstand warming oceans, the heat tolerance comes with a cost. The study found that corals hosting the algae Durusdinium keep their stress response system constantly active. This heightened response helps the corals survive short-term heat stress, but when they face another challenge like a bacterial infection, it can cause more tissue damage than corals with less heat-tolerant algae.
The study suggests that while Durusdinium algae provide greater heat resistance, they also increase the risk of disease when additional stressors are present.
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