Characteristics that help coral bounce back

New report outlines features that make a reef able to deal with environmental stress

A host of factors, including type of coral, amount of algae and water clarity, may affect how well different coral reefs will cope with climate change, says a new report released May 20 by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The report — Resilience Assessment of Coral Reefs: Rapid assessment protocol for coral reefs, focusing on coral bleaching and thermal stress — outlines more than 40 indicators for determining a coral reef’s ability to handle environmental stress.