Tropical coral reefs, which cover less than 0.2 percent of the Earth’s surface, are home to over a quarter of the ocean’s biodiversity. Despite their small footprint, these ecosystems play a critical role in supporting marine life, providing food sources, and sustaining broader oceanic species networks. However, coral reefs worldwide face significant threats from climate change and rising ocean temperatures, which disrupt the symbiotic relationships between corals and the algae living within their tissues. This disruption often leads to coral bleaching, a condition that, if prolonged, can cause coral starvation and widespread reef collapse.

Researchers at Roger Williams University’s Center for Economic and Environmental Development in Bristol, Rhode Island, have made progress in coral science through work with northern star coral, a species that endures the colder winters of the northernmost part of its range. Koty Sharp, director of the center and associate professor of biology, marine biology, and environmental sciences, explained that northern star coral undergoes a period of dormancy during winter, significantly reducing its metabolic activity and halting algae consumption. This seasonal “power-down” offers a unique model to study how coral microbiomes respond to extreme environmental fluctuations.

Sharp noted that the microbial communities associated with northern star coral during dormancy resemble those found in diseased tropical corals. When the coral resumes activity in spring, it appears to regulate the reassembly of a specific microbial community. Understanding this process may provide valuable insights into restoring healthy coral microbiomes after bleaching or disease events, potentially informing conservation and restoration efforts on a global scale.

Northern star coral is particularly suited for laboratory research due to its resilience—even under significant temperature variations—and its ability to withstand various experimental manipulations. These qualities allow scientists to investigate how corals respond to thermal stress, nutrient changes, and bacterial infections by monitoring gene expression and metabolic shifts.

Despite the scientific breakthrough, researchers delayed publishing their findings to ensure the reproducibility and reliability of their methods. Coral reproduction occurs within a brief annual window, complicating experimental timing and requiring precise preparation and flexibility. Sharp also acknowledged that their work builds on decades of earlier research in coral reproduction.

The implications of coral decline extend beyond marine environments. According to Hauke Kite-Powell, a research specialist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, coral reefs contribute an estimated $3.4 billion annually to the U.S. economy through fisheries, tourism, and coastal protection. Globally, approximately one billion people depend on reefs for ecosystem services. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projects that 70 to 90 percent of reefs could be lost by 2050 if current trends continue.

Kite-Powell highlighted that reefs harbor vast biodiversity, including species and chemical compounds with untapped potential for medical and scientific advances. The loss of coral reefs not only threatens food security and coastal infrastructure but also risks forfeiting opportunities for future discoveries that could benefit humanity.