Climate change has multiple effects on the ocean due to human activities, such as greenhouse gas emissions. These gases rise into the sky, trapping surplus heat from the sun into the sea, causing a domino effect. A typical impact to be chosen is the phenomenon of coral bleaching, where rising water temperatures disrupt the delicate relationship between coral and algae, leading to the ghostly white skeletons of once-vibrant reefs. This threatens the beauty of these underwater ecosystems and jeopardises their vital role in marine biodiversity. Fortunately, I present a solution that is genetically modifying the coral microbiome to combat the ocean’s rising temperature.
Coral reefs are remarkable underwater ecosystems teeming with life. They result from a symbiotic relationship between coral polyps and microscopic algae called “zooxanthellae”. These algae live within the coral tissues and carry out photosynthesis, providing the coral with the nutrients it needs to thrive. In return, the coral provides the algae with a protected environment and essential nutrients. This mutually beneficial relationship gives coral reefs their vibrant colours and makes them one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet (Corals Tutorial: Zooxanthellae Purpose).
Coral reefs have been around for a long time on Earth. Specifically, they have been around Earth for over 500 million years, and their purpose serves far beyond their aesthetic beauty. Coral reefs are the foundation of marine food webs. Not only do coral reefs provide critical habitat and nursery for over one-quarter or 25 percent of all known marine life. Coral reefs also act as natural barriers, protecting coastlines from erosion and storm damage, and bleached, weakened coral reefs lose this critical protective function, leaving coastal communities more vulnerable to the impacts of rising sea levels and extreme weather events made worse by climate change. An estimated 1 Billion people worldwide depend on the reefs for food, coastal safety, and tourism, with the dependence of over 25% of known marine species. This domino impact of coral bleaching raises severe issues in people and locations worldwide. The effects go far beyond the loss of beautiful reefs and affect entire ecosystems, making this problem more significant than anywhere on Earth. (“Why are coral reefs called the rainforests of the sea?”)
In the face of this crisis, I have researched plenty of solutions that science has been used to solve this problem. One promising solution that stood out involves engineering heat-tolerant coral microbes.
Healthy coral polyps host a complex microbiome. It hosts a community of bacteria, archaea, and other microscopic organisms crucial to a coral’s health and resilience. These microbes aid in the coral’s nutrient absorption, fight diseases, and even influence the coral’s tolerance to environmental stressors, so the solution is to genetically engineer those specific microbes inside the coral’s microbiome as they play an essential role in keeping the coral healthy and resilient, making them heat tolerant and releasing them into the corals microbiome, thus countering the oceans rising temperature weakening coral reefs. (Engineering the Microbiome for Human Health Applications – The Chemistry of Microbiomes).
There are two equally intuitive approaches when implementing this solution.
The first approach is called “Gene editing”. By manipulating the microorganism’s genes using advanced new techniques such as CRISPR(Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats), scientists can precisely target and modify specific DNA sequences within a coral reef genome, increasing its resistance to heat stress. Afterwards, these modified microbes would be introduced back into the coral reefs microbiome, bolstering the coral’s resilience in the short-term and combating the ocean’s rising temperatures. (Engineering the Microbiome for Human Health Applications – The Chemistry of Microbiomes).
Although the idea of changing the coral microbiome via gene editing advanced techniques such as CRISPR raises hopes and gives a fast, efficient way out of the problem, this approach to the solution may raise some ethical concerns. Concerns like the fact that introducing genetically modified bacteria into a complex ecosystem such as a coral reef will have risks. These newly modified microorganisms could upset the sensitive ecological balances and bring unexpected infections, and the concern that the long-term effects of gene editing are entirely unknown. Moreover, the relatively new technology lacks extensive data on potential implications in a natural settings.
Furthermore, some may argue that changing the basic foundations of ecosystems, such as the coral microbiome, may have unexpected consequences for ecological integrity and biodiversity. Concerns about creating a foundation for broader applications of gene editing technologies, such as human genetic engineering, raise the possibility of a “slippery slope” in which ethical boundaries blur. These factors highlight the importance of a cautious, well-informed approach, including thorough risk assessment, strong laws, and open public discourse, to ensure that the benefits outweigh the risks. (“Ethical aspects of GMO regulation in the EU: Regulating new plant breeding techniques as GM has negative effects on sustainability, diversity and inclusion”)
The second approach to this solution is, instead of gene editing the microorganism in coral microbiomes, scientists could introduce new heat-tolerant microbes that already exist in other coral reefs into coral-bleached areas. Researchers could identify and introduce microbes from naturally heat-resistant coral species into more vulnerable coral populations, potentially increasing their overall heat tolerance. As we discussed, the coral microbiome is a complex community of bacteria, archaea, fungi, and other microscopic organisms living with the coral polyps. These microbes are essential to the coral’s health, helping it access nutrients, fight off diseases, and even tolerate environmental stresses.
However, not all coral microbiomes are created equal. Like humans, different coral species and even individual coral colonies can have slightly different microbiome communities. Some microbial communities are naturally more tolerant of heat and other stressors than others.
Scientists have been studying coral reefs worldwide and have identified coral species and populations that seem more resilient to the impacts of rising ocean temperatures and coral bleaching. When they analysed the microbiomes of these “super-resilient” corals, they discovered that the microbial communities living within them have made them better able to withstand heat stress. For example, scientists found a colony in the Red Sea, where studies have shown that corals in this region can withstand temperatures up to 4°C higher than the average summer maximum without experiencing significant bleaching. Researchers credited this increased resilience to the unique microbial communities found in the corals, which may be adapted to the naturally warmer waters of the Red Sea (AMIN). Not only did scientists find this in the Red Sea, but discoveries have also been made in the Great Barrier Reef (“Do heat resistant corals exist?”) and Hawaii (Baggaley). Making this solution so plausible.
Essentially, this approach to the solution is to “transplant” these heat-tolerant microbes from the resilient coral populations into the microbiomes of more vulnerable coral colonies worldwide. By collecting samples of the heat-tolerant microbes from the resilient coral colonies, slowly culturing and growing large quantities of these microbes in a lab setting, and, in the end, introducing the cultured microbes directly into the water around the vulnerable coral colonies, allowing them to establish themselves within the coral’s tissues naturally. With the hope of boosting the heat tolerance of the coral microbiome, the corals will be better equipped to counter the rising ocean temperatures caused by climate change. The introduced heat-resistant microbes could help the coral polyps maintain their symbiotic relationship with the vital algae, preventing them from undergoing the process of coral bleaching. (Engineering the Microbiome for Human Health Applications – The Chemistry of Microbiomes).
Although introducing heat-tolerant microbes from similar corals appears to be a very efficient approach, ethical problems remain. These microorganisms could upset the reef’s delicate balance within the reef, endangering other marine species. The long-term effects and the possibility of unexpected reactions may happen. Likewise, once introduced, these microbes might be nearly impossible to remove. Leading to a potentially devastating permanent temperament. Equity concerns may also arise if access to this technology is restricted, putting coral reef-dependent people at risk. Finally, widespread adoption could pave the way for more expansive, ethically-demand applications of genetic alteration. Before large-scale adoption, thorough risk assessment, strong legislation, and open public discourse must ensure this method prioritises advantages while reducing potential environmental and socioeconomic concerns. (“Ethical aspects of GMO regulation in the EU: Regulating new plant breeding techniques as GM has negative effects on sustainability, diversity and inclusion”)
In the ethical summary. While engineering heat-tolerant coral microbes offer a glimmer of hope, there are still ethical concerns that remain. Introducing genetically modified microbes will carry inherent risks of disrupting the delicate ecosystem in a coral reef microbiome, and that is a risk we must take, or there won’t be a coral reef to take risk on in the near future. Although there are many negative ethical concerns, such as permanent temperment to a sensitive eco system, lack of long-term data, transparency, and public trust, and more. There is also a positive moral context.
Like the urgency of action on this subject, the critical state of coral reef ecosystems worldwide requires urgent action and solution, with many facing the threat of complete collapse due to climate change. This creates a solid ethical emergency to explore and implement innovative solutions, even if they carry inherent risks.
Moreover, recent polls have shown the growing public awareness of environmental issues has been growing and could act as a powerful ethical force driving the development of solutions like engineering heat-tolerant coral microbes. This translates into a positive impact, such as a demand for more Innovative solutions as the public becomes more informed about the threats facing coral reefs, a strong demand emerges for innovative solutions. This public pressure can encourage policymakers and research institutions to invest in exploring this approach (“The Pandemic Is Heightening Environmental Awareness | BCG”). A 2020 study by Bain & Company highlights this growing demand, emphasising the public’s desire for action on environmental issues.
In conclusion, the engineering of heat-tolerant coral microbes promises a potential scientific solution to the issue of coral bleaching. Still, it can only be approached with caution and forethought. As the research has shown, this unique approach raises ethical problems and challenges that must be addressed.
On the one hand, the coral reef problem requires we investigate every possible solution to protect these essential undersea ecosystems. As they are the foundation of marine food webs, providing crucial habitat and coastal protection for over 25% of all known marine life, their extinction will have devastating consequences. Engineered heat-tolerant microbes could buy valuable time for vulnerable coral species as the world attempts to address the underlying cause of climate change.
While developing heat-tolerant microorganisms shows promise, it is only one piece of the puzzle. Reducing global CO2 emissions is the full puzzle to address the underlying cause of coral bleaching. Furthermore, studies into alternatives such as aided evolution and local cooling technologies should be accomplished simultaneously. By combining scientific ingenuity, responsible research practices, and commitments to environmental protection, We can pave the way for a future in which these wonderful underwater habitats thrive once more. This is much more than just restoring coral reefs; it is about protecting the delicate balance of our seas and the numerous living creatures. Let us make sure that future generations can enjoy the magnificence of these lush underwater rainforests.
Works Cited
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Baggaley, Kate. “Scientists identify heat-resilient coral patches in Hawaii.” Popular Science, 3 May 2022, https://www.popsci.com/environment/coral-reef-refuges-heat-waves/. Accessed 10 April 2024.
Chatterjee, Sidharta. “(PDF) An Analysis of Threats to Marine Biodiversity and Aquatic Ecosystems.” ResearchGate, 11 May 2017, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316854102_An_Analysis_of_Threats_to_Marine_Biodiversity_and_Aquatic_Ecosystems. Accessed 10 April 2024.
“Climate Change | US EPA.” Environmental Protection Agency, https://www.epa.gov/climate-change. Accessed 10 April 2024.
“Corals Tutorial: Zooxanthellae Purpose.” National Ocean Service, https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/tutorial_corals/media/supp_coral02a.html. Accessed 10 April 2024.
“Do heat resistant corals exist?” Great Barrier Reef Foundation, 25 February 2022, https://www.barrierreef.org/news/explainers/understanding-heat-tolerance-in-corals-great-barrier-reef. Accessed 10 April 2024.
“Education and Outreach.” Global Monitoring Laboratory, https://gml.noaa.gov/outreach/carbon_toolkit/. Accessed 10 April 2024.
“Engineering the Microbiome for Human Health Applications – The Chemistry of Microbiomes.” NCBI, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK447358/. Accessed 10 April 2024.
“Genetically modified foods: safety, risks and public concerns-a review.” PubMed, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24426015/. Accessed 10 April 2024.
“Why are coral reefs called the rainforests of the sea?” Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, https://floridakeys.noaa.gov/corals/biodiversity.html. Accessed 7 April 2024.
“Why are coral reefs called the rainforests of the sea?” Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, https://floridakeys.noaa.gov/corals/biodiversity.html. Accessed 10 April 2024.
