Coral reefs are biodiverse ecosystems that provide food, income, coastal protection, and many other services to millions of people. Yet coral reefs are under threat from human impacts such as climate change—many corals cannot tolerate the warming ocean water and have suffered massive 'bleaching' events, which can be fatal. Researchers have discovered that some corals have the capacity to acclimatize to warmer water, while other corals do not. The researchers fear that because corals are long-lived colonial animals and thus evolve slowly, they may not be able to adapt to global warming fast enough to avoid extinction. Explain how the difference between acclimatize and adapt is important to the fate of corals.

Verified step by step guidance

1. Define acclimatization and adaptation: Acclimatization refers to the short-term physiological adjustments an organism makes in response to changes in the environment, which are reversible. Adaptation, on the other hand, involves genetic changes over generations that make a species better suited to its environment.
2. Explain the significance of acclimatization in corals: Acclimatization allows some corals to survive temporary increases in water temperatures by adjusting their physiology, such as by hosting different types of symbiotic algae that are more heat-tolerant.
3. Discuss the limitations of acclimatization: While acclimatization can help corals cope with sudden changes, it is not a permanent solution. If the water remains warm, acclimatized corals may still experience stress and bleaching because these physiological adjustments are not heritable and do not confer long-term resilience.
4. Describe the role of adaptation in corals: Adaptation involves genetic changes that are passed down to offspring, potentially leading to populations that are better suited to warmer waters. This process is slower, especially in long-lived species like corals, which reproduce infrequently.
5. Highlight the challenge for coral survival: The slow pace of genetic adaptation in corals may not keep up with the rapid changes in climate, posing a risk of extinction for those coral species that cannot acclimatize sufficiently or adapt genetically in time.