Reflections on the prospects for western Atlantic coral reefs

Ever more frequent and severe heat waves and resulting coral bleaching threaten to drive reef corals to extinction unless they can rapidly increase resilience against rising temperatures. This is especially true in the Western Atlantic where the unique geographic features of the region and long history of intense exploitation and pollution have made corals especially vulnerable. Fortunately, there is considerable evidence that thermal resilience is increasing through shuffling of relationships among corals and their symbionts, and by natural selection. Moreover, experiments have shown that assisted reproduction can increase the pace of increasing resilience. However, these promising signs will come to naught unless overexploitation, pollution, and development are rapidly and severely reduced.