Recent Breakthroughs in Coral Research
This session draws on researchers across multiple nodes to understand corals at a molecular and physiological level and to examine potential mechanisms of coral reefs for adaptation and acclimatization to environmental change.
Coral Genomics. Comparative genomics of corals and zooxanthellae is used to establish the molecular basis for symbiosis and calcification which is of critical importance for growth of corals and healthy reef development.
Biochemical analysis of coral-zooxanthellae interactions and coral bleaching.
Improved understanding of the molecular relationship between symbiotic partners allows to predict responses to climate change and examine mechanisms for adaptation and acclimatization.
Coral diseases. The talk will introduce into the anthropogenic and climatic drivers of coral diseases, and the development of strategies for control and reduction of their economic impacts.

Plenary talks by Denis Allemand (Monaco) and Terry Hughes (Townsville, Australia)

Programme