Unprecedented Ocean Warming Leads to Mass Coral Bleaching in Florida

Florida is home to the third-largest coral reef system in the world, spanning more than 350 miles from the Dry Tortugas to the St. Lucie Inlet.

However, this natural wonder is under serious threat from a marine heat wave that has caused the worst bleaching event in the state's history.

Researchers reported that most of the corals they surveyed are either bleached or dead, and warned that the loss of coral reefs could have devastating impacts for the marine life, the people, and the economy that depend on them.

How a marine heat wave is killing the corals

(Photo : JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images)

Florida's coral reefs are experiencing the worst bleaching event in the state's history, as a marine heat wave has caused water temperatures to soar to record highs.

Bleaching occurs when corals expel the algae that live in their tissues and provide them with food and color, leaving them white and vulnerable to starvation and disease.

According to researchers from the Shedd Aquarium and other institutions, between 90% and 95% of corals they surveyed at 76 sites across the Keys and Dry Tortugas over a week showed signs of extreme bleaching.

Some coral species, such as endangered branching corals like staghorn and elkhorn, were nearly all dead.

The researchers said the bleaching was triggered by an unprecedented rise in ocean temperatures off the coast of Florida early in the summer, which also caused countless dead fish to wash ashore.

The heat wave was driven by a combination of factors, including climate change, a lack of wind, and a weak Gulf Stream.

The researchers explained that bleaching is not inherently bad as a stress response, but it becomes a problem when the bleaching lasts a few weeks too long and the corals continue to starve.

Corals can recover from bleaching if the temperatures go back down in time, allowing them to regain the symbiotic algae they lost.

However, the researchers said the chances of survival for the Florida corals are slim, as the water temperatures have remained high for too long.

Also Read: Curcumin: A Natural Compound To Protect Coral Reefs From Climate Change

Why coral reefs matter for Florida and the world

Coral reefs are not only beautiful and diverse ecosystems but also provide important benefits for Florida and the world.

They serve as habitat for many other animals and fish, support tourism and recreation, protect coastlines from storms and erosion, and contribute to food security and livelihoods.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a quarter of all marine life spends a significant portion of their life on coral reefs.

Coral reefs also generate billions of dollars in economic value each year, as they attract millions of visitors and support thousands of jobs.

However, coral reefs are under threat from multiple stressors, such as pollution, overfishing, disease, and climate change.

Scientists estimate that about 70% of Florida's reefs are losing material, with this erosion hastened by bleaching.

The loss of coral reefs could have devastating consequences for the marine life, the people, and the economy that depend on them.

The researchers compared the situation of the coral reefs to a forest without trees, saying that they are losing the foundation of the ecosystem.

What are the efforts to save the coral reefs in Florida

Despite the grim outlook, there are some efforts to save the coral reefs in Florida from further decline.

One of them is the Coral Reef Conservation Program, a program by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection that coordinates research and monitoring, develops management strategies, and promotes partnerships to protect the coral reefs, hardbottom communities, and associated reef resources along Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and Martin counties.

The program also leads the implementation of the Southeast Florida Coral Reef Initiative, a local action strategy to address the threats to the coral reefs in the region, and contributes to the National Action Plan to conserve coral reefs.

It is also charged with coordinating responses to vessel groundings and anchor damage incidents in southeast Florida and developing strategies to prevent coral reef injuries.

Another effort is the Mission: Iconic Reefs, a project by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to restore seven reef sites in the Florida Keys over the next 20 years.

By growing hundreds of thousands of individual coral fragments in nurseries and then moving those corals out onto the reef, they hope to cover an area just larger than the size of 52 football fields with new coral growth.

The project aims to restore the coral cover, diversity, and resilience of the reefs, and to create a model for large-scale coral restoration that can be replicated elsewhere.

This involves collaboration with various partners, such as the Coral Restoration Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Related article: How Will Coral Reefs Survive a Warming Planet?