Growing probiotic-laden zooplankton to save the Great Barrier Reef

A glimmer of hope for the preservation of the Great Barrier Reef

While the Great Barrier Reef has just experienced its third mass bleaching in only five years, science, for its part, is putting all its efforts into finding solutions to safeguard this natural wonder. In February, water temperatures reached their highest values in Australian history, contributing to the premature death of many corals.

The year 2020 was marked by the Covid-19 health crisis and the appalling fires in Australia, which largely overshadowed the climate emergency and its consequences on corals.

Yet people continue to work silently every day to preserve these fragile reef ecosystems that are ignored by most people.

Today we are talking about scientific incredible breakthroughs but not utopian, giving a glimmer of hope for the survival of the Great Barrier Reef.

A team of scientists from Australia, England, the United States and Brazil came up with the idea of administering a dose of probiotic bacteria to laboratory-cultured corals in order to increase their survival rate.

How did they do it?

Researchers grew probiotics inside the zooplankton before feeding it to the corals. It is therefore a soft, non-invasive method of administration for corals, as if they were to be vaccinated against bleaching.

What are the results?

The experiment was a real success, following the ingestion of probiotics, the corals proved to be much more resistant, healthier, thriving, with a much higher survival capacity.

This news is an important hope for the survival of the Great Barrier Reef, which has just experienced its third massive bleaching. Australia also relies on scientific advances to limit the major economic losses caused by coral loss. Indeed, the Great Barrier Reef brings in $5.4 billion each year and contributes to the employment of approximately 69,000 people.

As aquarists, we would like to share more positive news in order to give a sincere smile back to our readers, solutions exist and are gradually being created. However, as we all know, the only effective solution that can be viable in the long term lies within each of us. If we change our consumption behaviour, if we inform our loved ones, if we protect the environment as the Barrier Reef protects us, we will finally have real hope that will allow us to affirm the survival of corals throughout the world.