Red Sea Coral Survives Heatwave With Probiotic Boost

Researchers in Saudi Arabia have reported promising results showing that microbial treatments can help Red Sea corals survive rising sea temperatures, offering a possible new tool for reef restoration along the Kingdom's coast.

During a natural marine heatwave that pushed Red Sea water temperatures near the research site to almost 32°C in 2022, corals of the species Acropora valida that received live probiotic treatments stayed healthier than untreated corals. Treatments using postbiotics—nonliving microbial products—also improved coral health in the field.

The approach, known as microbiome restoration, relies on beneficial bacteria isolated from healthy corals and reintroduced to heat-stressed ones. It uses native, non-genetically modified microorganisms. One beneficial association reported by the team involved the heat-tolerant bacterial genus Cobetia.

Treated corals maintained higher photosynthetic efficiency, better pigmentation, and favorable changes in their microbiome compared with untreated corals. In one field trial, reefs given probiotic treatments retained about 60% of their baseline cryptobenthic biodiversity after a heatwave, compared with just 20% for untreated reefs.

Why it matters

The Red Sea's reefs are among the world's most heat-resilient, and protecting them supports fisheries, tourism, and coastal ecosystems that many communities depend on. The research is carried out in part at the Coral Probiotics Village, an underwater facility off the central Red Sea coast where microbial restoration methods are tested in real conditions.

This is a research activity, not a public service—there are no fees, application processes, or consumer channels involved. Still, the findings point to practical ways of helping local reefs adapt as marine heatwaves become more frequent.

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