Against the Odds

In the western Pacific Republic of Palau, abundant corals live in conditions that are warmer and more acidic than normal—conditions that usually reduce corals’ ability to build their skeletons. WHOI scientist Anne Cohen and graduate student Hannah Barkley are partnering with the Palauan government, Palauan scientists and the Nature Conservancy to identify and study these resilient coral communities, which Cohen believes hold the secret to coral survival as the warming and acidification of the oceans reach unprecedented levels in the next several decades. (Photo by Hannah Barkley, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)