listen to a conversation between a student and her biology professor.

S: I wanted to talk about the experiment we've been working on since last semester, the one with different coral species. P: Sure. What's on your mind?

S: Okay, so I understand the process. We've been breeding different types of coral in the lab, hybrids and purebreds, and then putting them in tanks and seeing how they cope with various conditions. P: And you understand the environmental variables we've introduced.

S: Right, the salt water in each tank is a different temperature, and some tanks are more acidic than others. So we'll see how those variations affect the corals. P: Exactly. S: And my group has observed that some of these corals have been surviving better than others. P: Well, that's excellent. That's what I would have expected you to find.

S: Great. But you see, I was working on the final paper for the experiment, and I was struggling to explain why this experiment is significant, like we're seeing what types of coral can survive in different environments. But why does this matter in real life? Doesn't coral already grow in the places where it'll survive best? P: Good question. The thing is, the ocean isn't unchanging. When there are heat waves in the ocean, micro algae, the tiny organisms living inside corals disappear. Since these micro algae produce the food that's the main form of sustenance to the corals, the corals die in their absence, this disappearance of micro algae is called coral bleaching.

S: Okay. P: Now, think about climate change. How might that affect the ocean? S: Well, global warming could heat up the ocean even more. So by identifying which corals best survive heat, we'll know which ones are most likely to thrive as the climate changes? P: Yes, and also warmer water absorbs more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which makes the water more acidic. This added acidity further increases the coral's chances of bleaching.

S: I see. And the hybrid corals we breed from more than one type of purebred coral might combine survival characteristics in new ways, becoming more resilient against climate change, including ocean acidity. P: Exactly. If we're successful breeding corals that stay alive in harsher conditions, those coral species can be settled in the ocean to better ensure coral survival. S: Professor, knowing this, I think I'm going to need another day to finish that lab report. I want to make sure I thoroughly include all of this. P: Oh, well, yes, I guess that makes sense. I mean, if it's someone like you asking for an extension, then I know it must really be necessary. I'll grant the extension this time, but make sure your lab report shows the extra hard work you've done.