“I congratulate Adrian Stier and his laboratory on this important grant from the WM Keck Foundation, which will open new research opportunities for the recovery of some of our most crucial and threatened coral reef ecosystems,” said Shelly Gable, Acting Dean of Mathematical, Life. and physical sciences. “This investment from the Keck Foundation demonstrates a commitment to ensuring our fragile oceans remain resilient in the face of rapid change.”

Coral reefs support a diversity of marine life, protect shorelines from erosion and support economies through fishing and tourism. The survival of these ecosystems depends on the ability of corals to recover from injuries inflicted by storms, predators and human activities.

With half of the planet’s coral reefs having disappeared since 1950, this timely project aims to uncover the mechanisms that allow corals to heal and resist growing environmental threats. “Our primary goal is to develop a comprehensive model that links coral tissue damage and regeneration to colony growth, reproduction, survival and overall response to heat stress,” Stier said. “We hypothesize that local tissue damage triggers a cascade of responses throughout the coral colony, affecting gene expression, polyp regeneration and energy allocation.”

Bleaching events have become more frequent and more severe as the ocean warms. Although recovery is possible, many bleached corals do not survive.