Nutritional supplements can boost the survival of baby corals to help restore reefs

Feeding coral larvae “baby food” made from coral can dramatically increase their chances of survival, offering a new avenue for reef restoration as climate change continues to threaten coral ecosystems, a new study finds.

Researchers at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) have found that coral larvae fed personalized lipid supplements, including oils rich in omega-3s and essential sterols, are stronger, faster and more likely to survive and settle on reefs.

Research led by marine biologist Dr. Jennifer Matthews and published in Communication biologymarks a major advance for coral aquaculture and renewal science.

Reef restoration projects often focus on increasing larval supply, but are often hampered by low post-settlement survival.

“Less than one percent of coral larvae typically survive their first year,” Dr Matthews said. “Developing the right nutritional strategies and ensuring the correct balance of lipids, such as sterols, could provide a practical way to improve these results.”

A study found that coral larvae they actively consume and metabolize these essential fats, confirming that early nutrition plays a key role in coral development and resilience.

“We have shown that specific lipid supplements, particularly sterols, improve larval performance and help young corals cope with stress,” Dr Matthews said. “This opens up exciting opportunities for renovation projectswhere every additional surviving coral can make a real difference to reef recovery.”

The UTS research team is now taking this innovation from the lab to the reef, working in partnership with Indigenous marine rangers, Dr Eric Fisher from GBR Biology and Reef Magic, to trial these nutritional interventions directly on the Great Barrier Reef.

“These field tests they help us understand how nutritional support can be scaled up to restore in the real world,” said Dr Matthews. “It’s a wonderful collaboration between researchers, traditional owners and reef practitioners, all working together to give corals a fighting chance.”

While no single solution can stop reef decline, Dr. Matthews believes that nutritional science could become a vital tool in a broader restoration toolkit.

“As the oceans warm, we need every advantage we can give these corals,” she said. “Improving their early survival through better nutrition could help tip the balance towards recovery rather than loss.”