An image of Pavona varians under the microscope SHAYLE MATSUDA, GATES CORAL LAB This sample of corrugated coral (Pavona varians) came from Kaneohe Bay in Hawaii. Researchers in the Gates Coral Lab at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology are studying how to help corals survive under future climate conditions.
“Our research for this project examines which biological traits and components of the coral holobiont—coral, algae, bacteria—influence a coral’s response and recovery to thermal stress,” marine biologist Shayle Matsuda tells The Scientist in an email.