Ocean warming could cause further significant reductions of Great Barrier Reef’s coral cover, so the Australian government is considering a scientific intervention.

Ocean warming could cause further significant reductions of Great Barrier Reef’s coral cover, so the Australian government is considering a scientific intervention.

That assistance would come in the form of genetic alterations engineered to speed up the live coral’s ability to adapt rather than die off because it can’t keep pace with the climate change.

Studies into the ‘assisted evolution’ measure are ongoing and there are no plans to implement it or use it as a widespread remedy.

At this time researchers from the Australian Institute of Marine Science and the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology are experimenting with creating a hybrid coral that’s well suited for warmer waters.

A principal senior research scientist told the Guardian Australia, “We can create genetic diversity and new genetic variations, and then