{"id":37121,"date":"2015-08-04T08:35:38","date_gmt":"2015-08-04T18:35:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=37121"},"modified":"2021-08-09T16:54:34","modified_gmt":"2021-08-10T02:54:34","slug":"ruth-gates-research-to-reverse-rapid-coral-reef-decline-supported-by-paul-g-allen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2015\/08\/04\/ruth-gates-research-to-reverse-rapid-coral-reef-decline-supported-by-paul-g-allen\/","title":{"rendered":"Ruth Gates\u2019 research to reverse rapid coral reef decline supported by Paul G. Allen"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 3<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

\"coral<\/p>\n

The quest to stabilize and restore coral reefs, a critical component of our ocean ecosystem, is receiving increased help through a unique research project supported by Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen’s Vulcan Inc<\/a>. As ocean temperatures rise and oceans become more acidic, corals are declining in record numbers. A new project and winner of the 2013 Paul G. Allen Ocean Challenge<\/a> will apply human-assisted evolution in developing resilient coral species to help reverse this decline.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Ruth Gates<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“Not all corals are created equal,” said researcher and co-grantee Ruth D. Gates<\/strong> from the University of Hawaiʻi<\/span> at Mānoa<\/a>. “We will capitalize on those corals that already show a stronger ability to withstand the changing ocean environment and their capacity to pass this resilience along to new generations.”<\/p>\n

The winning research team of Gates and Madeleine van Oppen from the Australian Institute of Marine Science<\/a> was awarded the $10,000 grand prize and invited to submit a grant proposal for funding consideration. A nearly $4-million, five-year project agreement was reached in June of this year, with research timed to maximize this summer’s peak coral reproduction season in North America.<\/p>\n