Some coral swap their symbiotic algae when threatened
Corals depend on symbiotic algae to survive and build coral reefs. Increased ocean temperatures due to climate change can cause these symbiotic algae to be expelled from the coral, an event known as bleaching, which often leads to death.
Scientists from University of Miami placed corals in tanks and subjected them to increased water temperatures to gain insights into how they may react to global warming by replicating ocean conditions that would lead to both mild and severe coral bleaching.