Mongabay · Climate & nature

Probiotics Show Promise in Protecting Corals from Heat Stress

A field study in the Red Sea found probiotic treatments protected corals from bleaching during a heat wave. A heat-killed version also showed protective effects.

During a 2022 heat wave, corals treated with probiotics in an underwater lab resisted bleaching, unlike untreated corals. This is the first indication probiotics may protect corals in the wild from marine heat waves.

Coral reefs are declining due to rising ocean temperatures causing bleaching. Significant global coral loss is projected if temperatures rise by 1.5°C.

Researchers tested live probiotics and postbiotics (heat-killed bacteria) on corals, using specific bacterial species from local healthy corals.

During the heat wave, water temperatures reached approximately 1.2°C above average. Treated corals maintained photosynthetic efficiency and color, while controls declined.

Treatments altered coral microbiomes, increasing beneficial bacteria like Cobetia, thought to aid heat resistance. Different treatments induced distinct metabolic responses.

Limitations include testing on one coral species, labor intensity, and scaling challenges. Longer studies are needed for growth and survival confirmation.

Probiotics are not a complete solution and must be combined with other approaches to address climate change and other stressors.

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