Eleanor Hildebrandt | March 16, 2022

New research suggests several coral species are weathering warming oceans better than previously thought.

Scientists spent 22 months studying various species of coral in Hawaii and the north Pacific Ocean and found several species can survive warmer oceans, absent of other variables. The species can survive if global temperatures warm up by 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the temperature mark set by the Paris Agreement.

The research comes after warnings that coral in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef could be hit by massive bleaching events in 2022. When coral reefs die, essential food sources, shelter, and spawning grounds for several aquatic species. If coral die off in massive amounts due to warming ocean temperatures, marine biodiversity will suffer immensely.

The study’s results does have some limitations, according to NBC News. The study only looks at Hawaiian waters, so its results might not be applicable for all oceans and coral.