Florida researchers have brought endangered elkhorn coral from nurseries off the coast to a land-based hatchery, an urgent measure to protect the species from what they fear could be a devastatingly warm summer.
Scientists are concerned that rising ocean temperatures could trigger a mass bleaching event, similar to those experienced in 2023 and less severely in 2024, which have left elkhorn coral populations functionally extinct in the wild from Broward County to the Florida Keys. Functionally extinct means the remaining coral colonies are too small and dispersed to reproduce naturally.
Diego Lirman, an associate professor of marine biology at the University of Miami, stated that indications suggest 2026 could be an even worse year for bleaching than 2023. Coral is already showing signs of heat stress due to increasing water temperatures.
Elkhorn coral forms reefs, which are crucial ecosystems that support global seafood production, provide natural protection against storm surges for coastlines, and contribute to tourism. However, these vital living structures are threatened by climate change, with Florida's coral reefs experiencing four mass bleaching events in the last decade. Lirman noted that the corals are not getting adequate time to recover between these heat-related events.
On Wednesday, divers carefully collected genetically diverse pieces of coral. Each piece was wrapped in wet bubble wrap, placed in coolers, sanitized, and then transferred to tanks at the hatchery.
The University of Miami collaborates with other researchers and facilities to exchange coral. This exchange aims to preserve the maximum possible original genetic diversity in both nurseries and hatcheries, ensuring that the loss of one facility does not mean the extinction of vital genetic information. Lirman emphasized that unique resistances, such as those to disease, temperature fluctuations, or acidification, could be lost forever if these coral populations perish.