300 Corals Transferred from Florida to Texas in Species Conservation Effort

Scientists have successfully relocated around 300 endangered sea corals from South Florida to the Gulf Coast of Texas for research and restoration purposes. This effort, involving researchers from Nova Southeastern University and Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, saw the corals carefully packed at NSU’s Oceanographic Campus in Dania Beach.

The coral specimens were transported with meticulous care. NSU researcher Shane Wever emphasized the significance of this operation, stating, “The process that we’re undertaking today is a really great opportunity for us to expand the representation of the corals that we are working with and the locations where they’re stored.”

Wever elaborated that increasing the storage locations acts as a safeguard, ensuring the corals are preserved for future generations. Each coral specimen was placed in fresh, clean seawater with added oxygen, encased within protective packaging, and placed inside insulated, padded coolers to minimize transportation time.

NSU’s marine science research facility not only serves as a nursery for rescued corals but also processes these specimens for future restoration projects, enabling their subsequent replanting into ocean habitats. The university has collaborated with various institutions, including the University of Miami, Florida Atlantic University, and the Coral Restoration Foundation located in the Florida Keys.

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi researcher Keisha Bahr pointed out how easy it is for people living on land to underestimate the importance of marine life. “Corals serve a lot of different purposes,” Bahr mentioned. “First of all, they protect our coastlines, especially here in Florida, from wave energy and coastal erosion. They also supply us with a lot of the food that we get from our oceans.”

In 2023, higher ocean temperatures led to widespread coral bleaching, devastating many populations in the Florida Keys. In response, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi turned to NSU when their usual coral providers in the Keys were unable to continue supplying specimens. Fortunately, Broward County faced less impact from the bleaching event, allowing NSU’s offshore coral nursery to provide healthy corals for the transfer.

“We’re losing corals at an alarming rate,” Bahr stated. “We lost about half of our corals in the last three decades. So we need to make sure that we continue to have these girls into the future.”

The corals sent to Texas will be instrumental for studying the impacts of sediment from Port Everglades on coral health. Additionally, some specimens will contribute to research aimed at creating a bleaching guide for the Caribbean, while others will serve as a genetic bank, representing nearly 100 genetically distinct Staghorn coral colonies from various reefs in South Florida.

“We wanted to give them as many genotypes, which are genetic individuals, as we could to really act as a safeguard for this super important species,” Wever concluded, highlighting the vital role that such initiatives play in coral conservation efforts.