A longer summary
of the study is at
the link below:
My short version follows:
Romero-Torres, M., Acosta, A.,
Palacio-Castro, A.M., Treml,
E.A., Zapata, F.A., Paz-García,
D.A. and Porter, J.W.
2020
Global Change Biology
DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15126.
SUMMARY:
Model-based predictions
of warmer oceans suggest
damage to coral reefs.
Coral reefs in the
Eastern Tropical Pacific
(ETP) were analyzed,
from 1970 to 2014,
to see the effects
of natural
El Niño events
(El Nino's are
natural, cyclical
Pacific Ocean
heat releases).
Loval coral
had temporary
reductions
from the heat,
but there was no
long term decline.
In fact, coral cover
increased slightly
during the
40 year period.
Romero-Torres et al. say
"ETP coral reefs have adapted
to thermal extremes to date,
and may have the ability
to adapt to near-term future
climate-change thermal
anomalies".
