Florida's coral reefs under strain from disease and high temperatures

Florida’s coral reefs, formed 10,000 years ago when sea levels rose, are under strain from a combination of global and local factors, including high ocean temperatures, coral disease, poor water quality, and human impacts.

Reef growth is slow, with individual colonies growing approximately one-half inch to 7 inches per year. Corals, which have a symbiotic relationship with microscopic algae, are the reef’s architects. They extract calcium from seawater to construct limestone skeletons. Historically, reef-building corals in Florida included brain and star coral, but in recent years, elkhorn and staghorn coral were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, followed by several star coral species in 2014.

A fight for survival of coral in Florida and beyond

A Disease Outbreak

Florida’s Coral Reef recently experienced a coral disease outbreak termed stony coral tissue loss disease. Initially detected in 2014 near the coast of Miami-Dade County, the outbreak has now reached the reef’s northern and southernmost boundaries.

Supporting Marine Life

Coral reefs are in a constant state of flux, supporting tremendous biodiversity and providing habitat for many of Florida’s sport fish species. Florida’s Coral Reef is a barrier bank reef, distinct from other barrier reefs due to its proximity to shore and lack of shallow in-shore lagoons. The reef also features patch reefs, which are small and grow in shallow water between the main reef and land.

Types of Corals and Impacts

A total of over 45 stony coral species and 35 octocoral species inhabit Florida’s Coral Reef, with stony corals serving as the principal reef builders. The disease outbreak has impacted greater than half of Florida’s reef-building corals, posing a substantial threat to the reef’s future health.