In hot water: Coral resilience in the face of climate change For nearly a decade researchers led by Katie Barott of the School of Arts & Sciences have studied the effects of climate change on coral reefs. Monitoring two coral species off the coast of Hawaii, they found that local adaptations in response to near-severe heat stress allowed certain populations to endure such events. (Image: Courtesy of Kristen Brown) In hot water: Coral resilience in the face of climate change For nearly a decade researchers from Penn have been studying two coral species in Hawaii to better understand their adaptability to the effects of climate change.