2 iconic coral species are now functionally extinct off Florida, new study finds
Posted by USCDornsifeNews@reddit | marinebiology | View on Reddit | 18 comments
In a study published Oct. 23, 2025, in the journal Science, USC Dornsife researchers and colleagues from NOAA, the Shedd Aquarium and other institutions found that two of Florida’s most important and iconic reef-building coral species had become functionally extinct across Florida’s coral reef, meaning too few of them remain to serve their previous ecological role.
Link to study: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adx7825
Anthazoa@reddit
Florida coral nursery manager here....
Don't lose hope, there's tons of ACER in genebank facilities and lots still under propagation. There are also still ACER thickets off of Broward County that are reproductive.
APAL is in rough shape, but there is lots in genebanks and a notable amount in the offshore nurseries.
asupernova91@reddit
Came to say this. If Shedd was involved I know there’s a healthy stock alive and well somewhere. All isn’t lost.
Anthazoa@reddit
The genetics have been safe since 2019. :)
The initial need for collection was spurred on by stoney coral tissue loss disease in 2018. Fortunately, NOAA and FWC+FDEP all agreed that ACER and APAL also needed to get collected ahead of any other environmental emergencies that would occur. It was a crazy time.
asupernova91@reddit
That’s incredible! I know Ross and his team + E5 are doing amazing work and it sounds like you’re there in the frontlines as well. Thank you for all you do! I’m still in training but I hope you join you all very soon.
Sharkhottub@reddit
This summer I dove at night for like two weeks in a row on those LBTS/Sea ranch ACER stands and I only got to see some trickle spawning (though mCavs was like watching a porno). I also recognize these are probably some of the last remaining stands in this region.
Anthazoa@reddit
We'll hopefully be doing some transplanting out a little deeper beyond the FBTS site this spring 😀 🪸
bladow5990@reddit
That's awesome. Not trying to argue, just curious. What's the plan, is it to reintroduce them or to just keep them in the nursery? If it's reintroduction is it in the new climate zone most like Florida pre-climate change or is it to try and recolonize Florida's existing reefs?
ZakA77ack@reddit
I made a video on sea worlds efforts to breed new coral here
But tl;Dr is they're hoping to breed new genetics in certain species captively that might do better in more acidic ocean or have disease resistance
Anthazoa@reddit
The team at that facility is great. About half of their initial stock was quarantined by our facility. It was a big day when we transferred the corals up there.
Anthazoa@reddit
There are plans to plant these corals into water slightly more north, but also as other people have mentioned, there is focus on artificially selecting for corals that are more thermally tolerant. There are also plans to start focusing more on "deep water" (which in this only means like 45ft-80ft) reefs which are more thermally stable than shallow areas where the heating has been a lot more notable.
Breeding for more acidic conditions is a but of a stretch, as the pH difference between the calicodermis and the surround tiisues+water is metabolically taxing to maintain, and acidified sea is going to result is less growth... lesser skeletal density, or both pretty much no matter what.
ulukmahvelous@reddit
ooh, cool job!
what do you think of the reef line art project off south beach that is designed to support coral growth?
Anthazoa@reddit
Its mostly a green (or blue in this case) art installation to raise awareness and promote some environmental tourism. Its not meaningful restoration. It is cool though, and I think still worth doing. Its just important not to confuse the two purposes.
ZakA77ack@reddit
I made a short (8 minute) video on sea worlds efforts to breed new coral (here)[https://youtu.be/9CFvUoCfP-M]
dangerousdave2244@reddit
This is devastating. I lived and worked in the Keys 10 years ago, and the amount of bleaching and destruction on the reefs makes me absolutely despondent
Fishskull3@reddit
I was just working in the keys as a marine science teacher during the bleaching event of the summer of 2023. I saw first hand basically all of the coral become bleached to even straight up necrotic over the span of a week. Hundred year old coral heads completely gone. It was immediately clear that there was no coming back. We are very cooked.
CryptReefer@reddit
We’ve decided as a society that corporate quarterly profits are more important than the environment and that we value billionaires playing for high scores instead.
thesymbiont@reddit
I've done work on these reefs, seen some of the corals in the photos in person, and know several of the authors. It makes me very sad and angry.
RealLifeSunfish@reddit
I don’t think divers even realize that Florida’s reef tract a shell of its former self, they just see the gorgonian covered skeletons of deceased stony corals and think that’s how things are supposed to look.