A new study from the University of Copenhagen shows that marine heatwaves can disrupt microscopic moving structures on the surface of reef-building corals that support their oxygen uptake. When seawater temperature crosses a critical threshold, this oxygen supply mechanism collapses, increasing the risk of coral death.

Offspring of a common coral branching species set up a new home up to 100 kilometres or more from their parents in one of the longest dispersal distances ever measured. The findings show – for the first time – the connectivity between the broadcast-spawning coral populations of the Great Barrier Reef, Coral Sea atolls and New Caledonia in the Western Pacific. This exchange of gametes and genetic variants over vast distances can help other populations to adapt to their own changing environmental conditions.

A global survey traces six centuries of evolution, revealing how university botanic gardens blend historical roots with modern missions in conservation, education, and public well-being.