Coral conservation in a warming world must harness evolutionary adaptation
This study emphasizes that coral conservation must harness evolutionary adaptation to address climate change. Protecting diverse reef networks and maintaining genetic variation and connectivity are key to resilience, enabling corals to adapt to warming conditions rather than relying solely on climate refugia.
Subject Tags
- Reefs
- Habitat restoration
- Climate resilience
Abstract
This article highlights the role of evolutionary adaptation in coral conservation under climate change. It argues that protecting only climate refugia is insufficient and that conservation must also preserve genetic diversity across environmental gradients. Corals exhibit varying thermal tolerance linked to local conditions, meaning adaptation pathways differ across regions. In cooler reefs, adaptation depends on connectivity with warmer populations, while in warmer areas it is driven by local selection. The study outlines actions at local, regional and global scales to support adaptation, including reducing local stressors, enhancing connectivity and restoring populations. It emphasizes that maintaining ecological and evolutionary processes is essential to help coral reefs persist in a warming world and sustain their ecological functions.
Citation
Colton MA; McManus LC; Schindler DE; Mumby PJ; Palumbi SR; Webster MM; Essington TE; Fox HE; Forrest DL; Schill SR; et al. (2022). Coral conservation in a warming world must harness evolutionary adaptation. Nature Ecology & Evolution 6(10): 1405–1407.
TNC Authors
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F. Joseph Pollock
Sr. Reef Strategy Lead. Hawaii
The Nature Conservancy
Email: Joseph.pollock@tnc.org