Adaptive Potential of Intracolonial Genetic Variability in Coral Populations

ABSTRACT Coral reef recovery and growth largely depend on clonal propagation, yet the critical role of intracolonial genetic variability (IGV) is often underestimated in current research. This review highlights the gap between coral research and studies on ecosystems like seagrass meadows, where clonal dynamics and IGV are more thoroughly examined. We found that only a small fraction of coral studies address this essential aspect, leading to an underestimation of the coral populations' adaptive potential in response to environmental stressors. We explore methodologies for detecting clones in corals and discuss key concepts such as IGV, somatic mutations, polyploidy, and chimerism and their implications for the adaptive potential of coral reefs. Additionally, we propose a framework for estimating the potential number of adaptive genotypes, considering factors like growth rates and polyp density. We recommend that future coral genetics and genomics research incorporate these clonal concepts to accurately assess the adaptive potential of coral reefs.