Scientists are equally clear about how it must be done, outlining three catalysts they consider non-negotiable if the research agenda is to be delivered within the narrow window still available.<\/p>\n
The first is scale. The authors argue that coral reef science must move beyond the relatively modest scope of most current field programmes and establish large, collaborative research hubs capable of tackling multiple questions simultaneously.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to scale up field-based coral reef science so we can answer many of these questions simultaneously and in record time,\u201d said Dr James Guest, Reader in Coral Reef Science at Newcastle University. \u201cEstablishing large-scale field hubs would foster collaborative, multidisciplinary research across coral species and life stages, increasing experimental power and efficiency.\u201d<\/p>\n
The second catalyst is funding \u2013 better structured to match the biology of the organisms being studied. Corals are slow. They take three to seven years to mature and reproduce, yet the research grants that underpin the science typically run for just three years, creating a mismatch between the questions scientists want to answer and the time they are given to answer them.<\/p>\n
\u201cCorals have a complex life cycle,\u201d said Dr Ortiz. \u201cIt takes three to seven years for baby corals to mature and reproduce, yet most funding schemes run for only three years. This is not long enough to determine the fate of these corals and their progeny.\u201d<\/p>\n
Multi-generational studies, the authors stress, are not a luxury \u2013 they are a necessity if we are to know whether assisted evolution can deliver benefits that endure.<\/p>\n
The third catalyst comes as the most sobering. As field hubs are established and experimental coral populations are built up over years, those populations become irreplaceable repositories of scientific knowledge. Lose them to a storm or a heatwave, and the setback could be catastrophic.<\/p>\n
\u201cBoth experimental corals and broodstock housed in these hubs hold knowledge that will only be revealed over time,\u201d said Dr Humanes. \u201cIf they are lost during disturbances, the financial investment loss could be huge and delays catastrophic.\u201d<\/p>\n
The paper calls for hubs to be strategically located and protected through active interventions \u2013 lowering corals to deeper water during extreme weather events, or deploying cloud brightening and fogging techniques to shield reefs during thermal stress events.<\/p>\n
The study has drawn support from CORDAP, the G20 Coral Research and Development Accelerator Platform, which co-funded the work alongside Australia\u2019s Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program (RRAP).<\/p>\n
\u201cSupporting multi-generational research and scaling up proven, field-based solutions are central to the mission of CORDAP,\u201d said Dr Carla Louren\u00e7o. \u201cBecause there is no single solution to safeguarding coral reefs, a portfolio of complementary strategies in which coral assisted evolution is a central part is needed.\u201d<\/p>\n