Researchers Create Superalgae to Protect World’s Corals from Bleaching
Researchers at the University of New South Wales, Australia, have identified genes in algae that could allow them to make genetically engineered, heat tolerant algae that can withstand higher temperatures and continue their symbiotic relationships with corals.
These microalgae, called Symbiodinium, or zooxanthellae, are a genus of primary producers found in corals that are essential to coral survival.
These algae use light energy from the sun to photosynthesize and produce molecules that feed the corals, which is necessary for corals to grow and form coral reefs.