In April, the Coral Restoration Foundation introduced the innovative “coral bus” designed to transport corals to their new homes in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. However, due to a devastating marine heat wave, the bus is now being used to evacuate corals from the affected reefs. The goal is to maintain genetic diversity and help the reefs recover.
Over 1,500 corals have already been relocated to climate-controlled water tanks at the Keys Marine Laboratory. They will remain there until ocean temperatures stabilize and then be returned to offshore nurseries. This rescue effort is a collaboration between various organizations dedicated to restoring degraded reefs off Florida’s coast.
The water temperatures in the Keys have been abnormally high, causing stress to the corals and leading to bleaching, where they expel their symbiotic algae and turn white. Normally, bleached corals can recover if temperatures return to normal, but this heat wave has caused corals to die without bleaching. NOAA has issued the highest alert level for bleaching in the Keys, indicating a high chance of severe bleaching and mortality in the coming months.
This crisis is not unique to the Florida Keys. Reefs worldwide are facing similar challenges due to climate change. The UN has warned that a rise of 1.5 degrees Celsius could result in the loss of 70-90% of all reefs, while a rise of 2 degrees Celsius could lead to a 99% loss.
Corals are essential for marine ecosystems, supporting a quarter of the planet’s marine species and contributing billions to the economy. The Florida Keys heavily rely on coral reefs for tourism.
Florida’s reefs have already suffered significant decline, with up to 90% of coral cover lost since the 1970s. The current heat wave threatens to wipe out the remaining corals, including those grown in nurseries for restoration purposes.
Experts describe the heat wave as unprecedented, occurring much earlier and lasting longer than usual. The speed of the bleaching event has devastated coral restoration efforts. Scientists remain committed to their mission but acknowledge the mental toll of witnessing such destruction.
Despite the challenges, they will continue their efforts to restore the reefs once the heat subsides. The hope is that valuable lessons can be learned from this summer’s devastation.
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