Australian marine biologists unlocking coral genetic secrets

Australian marine biologists are unlocking the genetic secrets of corals on the Great Barrier Reef in a bid for conservation.

In a world-first study, Australian scientists are mapping the DNA of 10 species of coral in the world heritage marine park to understand which species is more resilient to environmental threats such as climate change.

The DNA structure from corals at the Great Barrier Reef will then be compared with those in the Red Sea, where corals survive at a naturally higher temperature, to understand how and why some corals are more resilient to change.

Great Barrier Reef Foundation's Chief Scientific Officer Eva Abal told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on Thursday the porites lutea, a species of boulder coral, is the first to be mapped under the project.

"Boulder corals, or the massive corals, tend to be more resilient to threats that face the reef now and that's why I think understanding how they're able to adapt to these threats is critical," Abal said.

David Bourne from the Australian Institute of Marine Science said when the human genome was mapped it revolutionized medical approaches to understanding diseases.

"For corals, it's the same process, it's no different from any other animal," Bourne said. "If we have that understanding of the genes and what leads to the basic physiological response, then we can actually create management strategies to help corals into the future."

About 1000 species of coral are estimated to be in the world's oceans, however only two have their DNA mapped. Endi