Will Coral Reefs Survive?

The foundation of coral reefs is an ancient symbiotic relationship between coral and microscopic algae. The single-celled, golden-brown algae, called zooxanthellae (genus Symbiodinium), are less than 0.01 millimeters in diameter, yet they are a fundamental part of most coral reef systems. The relationship between the coral and the zooxanthellae is mutualistic: Both gain something from it. This relationship works so well that, based on fossils, it