Ocean currents offer hope for survival of coral reefs during El Niño events.

Researchers have identified localized ocean processes during the 2015-16 El Niño that provided much-needed sustenance to the coral reefs on the Central Pacific island of Palmyra, allowing them not only to survive, but to thrive. The eastward-flowing North Equatorial Counter Current, which hits Palmyra's western shores, was significantly strengthened during the 2015-16 El Niño, driving an upward movement of cooler plankton-rich waters to the island's coral reefs. Identifying coral reefs that have a greater chance of survival during extreme events is critical to understanding the future of coral reef ecosystems.