The physiology of a resident Symbiodinium species often regulates the bleaching susceptibility of a coral. Therefore, a significant amount of research has focused on characterizing the physiological basis of thermal tolerance and in identifying the ecology and distribution of thermally tolerant symbiont species.
The relationship between a coral's resident Symbiodinium species and its susceptibility to bleaching has been a major focus of study. As a result, research has centered on understanding the physiological mechanisms underlying thermal resistance and pinpointing the ecological and geographical characteristics of thermally resilient symbiotic species.