Evolutionary history of stony corals suggests that some could be resilient to climate change

Climate change is threatening coral reefs worldwide. A comprehensive tree-like representation of evolutionary relationships between stony coral species captures the group’s spectrum of traits. It shows that shallow-water species that have mutually beneficial relationships with microalgae have been more vulnerable and less resilient than their deep-water counterparts across past adverse environmental events. Deep-water corals have been more resilient than shallow-water species during past mass extinctions and oceanic changes.