The rise of Porites astreoides: The survivor of the reef
Abstract
The Florida Keys Reef Tract, the third-largest coral reef barrier, has been declining since the 1970s due to climate change, harming marine ecosystems. While many corals struggle to survive, the “weedy” Porites Astreoides coral has been increasing. To understand this success, Gallery et al. sampled P. Astreoides DNA and found that this coral has high genetic diversity, low levels of variation among populations and individuals, and gene flow through long-range larval dispersion. This study demonstrates how genetic diversity supports resilience, and offers insights into coral conservation in a changing ocean.
Primary Faculty Mentor Name
Melissa Pespeni
Status
Undergraduate
Student College
College of Arts and Sciences
Program/Major
Biology
Primary Research Category
Life Sciences
The rise of Porites astreoides: The survivor of the reef
The Florida Keys Reef Tract, the third-largest coral reef barrier, has been declining since the 1970s due to climate change, harming marine ecosystems. While many corals struggle to survive, the “weedy” Porites Astreoides coral has been increasing. To understand this success, Gallery et al. sampled P. Astreoides DNA and found that this coral has high genetic diversity, low levels of variation among populations and individuals, and gene flow through long-range larval dispersion. This study demonstrates how genetic diversity supports resilience, and offers insights into coral conservation in a changing ocean.
