Inside the glass bottle, zooxanthellae is a yellow-brown algae kept in a climate-controlled room at the marine science laboratory at Chulalongkorn University.
"You may call it 'zooxy' if you want. Each of the researchers here invent a nickname for the thing, such as 'nong zoo'. A foreign biologist calls it 'zoo-x', " said Assoc Prof Thaithaworn Lirdwitayaprasit, an expert on algae at the Department of Marine Science, Faculty of Science at Chulalongkorn University.
Information from the US-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration tells us that zooxanthellae is a photosynthetic algae that lives in coral cell tissues in a symbiotic relationship. The coral serves as its home. In return, the algae produces oxygen and helps the coral remove waste. Most importantly, zooxanthellae supplies the coral with glucose, glycerol and amino acids, which are the products of photosynthesis.
Assoc Prof Thaithaworn also has his own nickname for it: super algae. He has studied the algae for over a decade, prompted by the fact that coral bleaching has become more prevalent and the science community is looking for ways to correct the situation.
Coral reefs around the world, including in Thailand, have faced serious bleaching over the past decade. The problem got worse in certain years, such as 1998, 2012 and 2015 and also this year; this is because rising seawater temperatures, an outcome of climate change, disrupts the photosynthesis process within coral cells, making them weak, bleached and eventually they die. Zooxanthellae needs to exit from the cell because it's toxic for the algae.
The Department of Marine Biology at Chulalongkorn University has worked on a few projects to solve coral bleaching, an environmental concern that has received more publicity lately since it's directly linked to tourism.
One project focuses on raising stronger corals in the laboratory before transplanting them into the sea. The super coral transplantation has been proven and used by the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) for several years, taking place at beaches such as in the Satthahip area near the navy base.
But the latest experiment is on zooxanthellae, or super algae.
"My hypothesis comes from a simple 'what if?' question. What if we inject healthy super algae into dying coral? Does it help gravely ill coral to become healthy and recover?" said Assoc Prof Thaithaworn.
"Marine science on coral conservation is going through a watershed moment and scientists are coming up with different ideas and methods. In the past, we only protected coral by closing the beach from visitors and allowing them more time to grow. Now scientists are developing super corals, super algae, and emerging scientific methods to cope with climate change that makes seawater hotter -- and more harmful to coral."
Researchers inject the zooxanthellae into dying coral. Photos Courtesy of Dept. of Marine Science, Faculty of Science at Chulalongkorn University
After many years of cultivating super algae by taking samples from various bodies of seawater, Assoc Prof Thaithaworn recently put a laboratory grown algae into dying corals. This early test was conducted at the marine research facility in Chon Buri province.
Just last month, the team conducted another test at Phi Phi Island Marine National Park in Krabi province, where the problem of coral bleaching is severe. In May, coral there was bleached en masse after temperatures hit 33C, above the threshold of 30.5C.
To inject the super algae in real-life conditions is no easy task. At Phi Phi, researchers dived down to inject the lab cultivated algae at two sites: the first was to treat 10 dying corals at Thalay Waek, famous for its sand dunes; the second site included another 10 corals at Loh Ba Kao Beach.
The experiment was done in a controlled fashion. Underwater, a researcher needs to cover a coral with a bag and net in order to make sure the algae actually permeates into coral cells. The lab cultivated algae were in fact taken from healthy corals at Thalay Waek and Loh Tha Lek, the same locations, in order to prevent invasion from alien species.
The initial results are encouraging.
"Corals that we injected super algae into show signs of recovery. Yet we need more laboratory checks to find out whether the recovery of coral reefs is associated and enabled by this laboratory-cultivated algae that we administered in coral cells or whether coral reefs started adapting with rising seawater temperatures."
Another challenge is to improve the algae injection method. Instead of using syringes, the team is developing new equipment such as water spray bottles to save time.
The project is enthusiastically accepted by the local community, because in the long run this is beneficial for them. The whole scientific initiative is part of what is known as the Phi Phi Model, a conservation project initiated and run by marine conservationist Thon Thamrongnawasat, deputy dean of Faculty of Fisheries at Kasetsart University and also adviser to the director-general of the DMCR.
The Phi Phi Model involves collaboration between DMCR, Ao Nang Local Tambon Administration that oversees Phi Phi Island, academic researchers and private companies such as Singha Estate, a property investment arm of Boonrawd Group. Singha Estate has been running an environmentally-friendly resort on Phi Phi Island and takes the Phi Phi Model as its Corporate Social Responsibility programme.
The Phi Phi Model consists of management and regulation of tourists and natural resources. The use of super algae will be part of natural resource rehabilitation. Environmental conditions in Phi Phi Marine National Park and islands in this area have been damaged by tourism and pollution during the last two decades. Coral reefs have been withered by pollution. But rising seawater temperatures are worsening the problem.
"This is just an experiment that will take years to test and develop. We need to prepare in advance because coral bleaching will be more frequent and hopefully we will have science and knowledge to help solve the problem," Thon said at Phi Phi Island last week.
Science might inspire hope, but it is just one of many solutions.
"Initial experiments showed half of dying coral reefs in this area recovering after the intake of super algae. But one thing you need to bear in mind is that there is no magic pill, or any quick fix to help coral. Once coral is bleached, it might be healed but it will not return to its previous splendid form. It will not be the same. So, the best way is to preserve and prevent the bleaching."
Researchers inject the zooxanthellae into dying coral. Photos Courtesy of Dept. of Marine Science, Faculty of Science at Chulalongkorn University
