Ahead of the peak summer heat wave, researchers in South Florida are trying to protect young corals from warming seas.
What's happening?
According to the Miami Herald, researchers from the University of Miami have begun transferring important staghorn coral fragments from coastal nurseries to land-based aquariums, shaded areas, and deeper waters. This measure is intended to protect the organisms from potential bleaching that could occur due to extremely high ocean temperatures.
In 2023, record-breaking sea temperatures led to widespread coral bleaching and death in the same region.
The main difference this year is timing: Scientists are intervening before the situation becomes critical, said Dalton Hesley, a senior scientist with the University of Miami's Reef Rescue program.
«"This isn't really the full-blown emergency you saw in 2023 because we were in a tight spot," Hesley told the Miami Herald. "This is our proactive response.".
The publication noted that the relocated corals include older fragments of staghorn coral, originating from the last natural colonies on the Florida reef, making them particularly important. A recent paper described this species as "functionally extinct" following the 2023 marine heatwave.
The situation appears to be worsening earlier than usual. By Monday, the Florida Keys had reached alert level two on the coral bleaching monitoring scale, which, according to the Miami Herald, signals significant bleaching with probable coral mortality, while South Florida remained at alert level one.
Why is this important?
Coral reefs support fisheries, tourism, and coastal economies, and serve as natural barriers that reduce wave energy during storms.
When reefs bleach and die, fish lose habitat, diving and outdoor recreation businesses can suffer losses, and coastlines become more vulnerable.
Scientists are particularly concerned because NOAA researchers have already found signs of coral bleaching on monitored reefs.
Ian Enochs, coral program manager at NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, told the Miami Herald, "Any coral bleaching is concerning, but visible stress on corals so early in the summer season does not bode well for the health of our reefs.".
What is being done?
Instead of waiting for bleaching to spread, the team is preparing the corals for the hottest months by moving them to protected tanks in an outdoor lab at the University of Miami.
As the Miami Herald reports, researchers inspect each fragment, remove any organisms that may have been trapped, clean the corals, and place them in tanks designed to protect them from high temperatures.
Diego Lierman, an associate professor at the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School, told the publication that slightly cooler water in Miami helped preserve some reefs during the last major heat wave.
«"Last time, we brought pretty much everything we could," Lierman told the Miami Herald. "Luckily, we didn't end up using a lot of bleach.".
The rescue plan is currently focused on the most priority species in the breeding process, with the possibility of expanding efforts if the situation worsens further. Lierman said the researchers may also target the hatchlings of the endangered Staghorn corals if temperatures continue to rise.
Subscribe to TCD's free newsletters to receive helpful tips, actionable advice, and a chance to win $5,000 toward your home improvement. To see more stories like this, change your Google preferences here.