Corals can sense what’s coming

Oz Research of Note (in progress)

Australian scientists have thrown new light on the mechanism behind the mass death of corals worldwide as the Earth’s climate warms. A team of scientists from Townsville has shown that as sea water begins to warm a complex cascade of molecular signals is triggered leading up to the self-inflicted death of corals and their symbiotic algae .

Lead author Dr Tracy Ainsworth, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University

Scientific Reports, Nature

http://www-public.jcu.edu.au/news/JCU_093922