Assisted Gene Flow
A conservation technique that deliberately moves genetic material between coral populations to help them adapt to changing ocean conditions and survive environmental stress.
A coral restoration strategy in which genetic diversity is intentionally transferred between populations—typically by breeding corals with different genetic backgrounds or transplanting heat-tolerant individuals—to enhance the adaptive capacity and resilience of reef communities facing climate change and other environmental pressures.
What this means in real life
Marine biologists might collect heat-tolerant coral from a warmer reef region and breed it with corals from a cooler area, then plant the offspring back on degraded reefs so they inherit traits that help them survive rising ocean temperatures.
What it isn’t
It is not genetic engineering or laboratory modification of coral DNA. Rather, it works with naturally occurring genetic variation by moving organisms or their offspring between locations to spread beneficial traits that already exist in nature.
Commonly misused online
Social media often conflates it with 'designer corals' or implies scientists are creating artificial super-corals in labs, when the technique actually relies on selective breeding and translocation of naturally diverse populations.
Based on 1 reference source, including primary sources. Last verified July 16, 2026.