Coral regeneration refers to biological recovery or restoration methods intended to help damaged or bleached corals regain healthy tissue and function. Bleaching occurs when stress, often elevated water temperature, causes corals to lose the algae that provide much of their energy. Recovery depends on conditions such as stress duration, water quality, and the coral’s health.
In conservation, regeneration may involve supporting natural recovery or testing interventions under controlled conditions. A reported improvement in one setting does not establish that a method works reliably across reef environments; researchers assess outcomes over time and across conditions. The term is useful when distinguishing recovery after damage from prevention of the stress that caused it. In practice, regeneration efforts complement rather than replace measures that reduce threats such as ocean warming and local pollution.