What’s going on here?
Over 1,000 young corals, grown in nurseries by scientists, will be planted in Florida’s seas over the next two months. The hardy elkhorn corals could bring life back to the dying reefs, which have suffered as ocean temperatures continue to rise.
A team from the University of South Florida and the Florida Aquarium has grown the baby corals at a research centre nearby, before transporting them to Florida Keys island chain. They are currently acclimatising in seawater beds in outdoor labs, preparing to be planted.
What does this mean?
Florida has lost 90% of its healthy coral over the past 40 years, in part due to rising sea temperatures. In 2023, a marine heat wave caused mass bleaching. Coral bleaching is caused by stressed coral pushing out algae from its cells, which turns it white and leaves it vulnerable to disease.
The baby corals being planted are elkhorn coral, a hardy species that may be better at tolerating marine heatwaves. Previous studies found that elkhorn corals survived mass bleaching events where most others died.
Another team of Florida scientists discovered last month that elkhorn coral’s survival may be down to heat-resistant algae. Their research showed a certain type of algae can survive in higher temperatures and prevent coral bleaching.
Understanding this symbiotic relationship between the coral and the algae will be key to restoration efforts to bring reefs back from the brink.
Why should we care?
Coral reefs are the rainforests of the oceans and are home to 25% of all marine species globally. They’re also hugely valuable to humans: reefs provide $3.4 billion worth of services to the United States each year, including fishing, tourism, and coastal protection.
But as sea temperatures rise, coral reefs are dying in swathes. We’re currently in the middle of the fourth global coral bleaching event, which has affected coral reefs across the world.
In Florida, scientists will be watching and waiting to see if the baby elkhorn corals thrive in their new homes on the reef. If the project is a success, heat-resistant corals could be a lifeline for other struggling reefs across the world.
Be curious
From the Curious archives: Super Reefs! IVF baby corals are defeating marine heatwaves
Take part in the Click a Coral project to help train AI models to identify coral species
See coral bleaching for yourself on the Coral Watch interactive map
Bleaching isn’t the only threat to coral reefs; read about stony coral tissue loss disease
