India, Feb. 2 -- Australia's Great Barrier Reef will face mass coral bleaching in most years for the rest of this century, according to a study by Tulane University researchers. But damage to the world's most famous coral reef could be reduced if greenhouse gas emissions are cut and if corals continue to increase their heat tolerance.

The research, published in Geophysical Research Letters, was led by Thomas DeCarlo, an assistant professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Tulane University School of Science and Engineering, and co-author Hannah Whitaker of The University of Western Australia.

The study finds that even when natural "protective" factors such as clouds and currents are included, the reef is still pr...