Stanford researchers accelerate coral healing with healthy tissue grafts in lab
Scientists at Stanford University have devised a lab technique that restores bleached coral in weeks, far faster than the months or years it normally takes in the wild.
A team of researchers at Stanford University has demonstrated a laboratory procedure that can revive bleached coral at record speed. By grafting a fragment of healthy, genetically identical coral onto the affected colony, the symbiotic algae quickly spread throughout the bleached tissue, restoring its coloration and vitality within weeks—a timeline that normally spans months or years in natural conditions. The results, reported in the journal Science Advances, highlight the promise of tissue grafting for coral rehabilitation.
However, the technique depends on having a healthy counterpart for each coral piece, which poses challenges for large-scale application in the wild. Co-author Fiorenza Michela expressed optimism that this breakthrough may lead to faster reef restoration strategies. As climate-driven bleaching intensifies, faster recovery methods are increasingly critical.
Why it matters
Faster coral recovery could help mitigate climate-change damage to vital reef ecosystems.
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