The interfaces between coral and algal holobionts represent the battle front of fierce competition for space on the reef. Growth of one holobiont over another at these interaction interfaces determines the benthic community structure on reefs. Coral-algal interaction zones frequently promote higher ...

Global threats to coral reefs demand novel strategies for conservation and restoration. In particular, interest in increasing the use of corals with robust phenotypes in restoration and captive breeding programs has grown. Recent work has documented intraspecific variation in phenotype among known g...

We demonstrated that assisted gene flow between genetically-distinct Caribbean coral populations, using cryopreserved sperm, could be a viable option to help restore coral reefs. We used frozen coral sperm from three genetically-distinct populations of the endangered coral Acropora palmata to fertil...

In our presentation, we will describe the development and achievements of the coral propagation and restoration program started by the University of Miami in Biscayne National Park in 2007. We will describe our research on the growth and survivorship of different genotypes of staghorn coral both in ...

Varadero reef is located in the Bay of Cartagena, Colombia, adjacent to the Canal del Dique, which carries turbid water into the bay. Despite the highly turbid water column and proximity to shore, Varadero is flourishing; it is about 1km2 in size, with 80% coral cover and containing mostly coral spe...

Tropical coastal resources in the Anthropocene have shown signs of degradation and a declining ability to naturally recover from disturbance. Multiple human factors, including the increasing demand and misuse of natural resources, have contributed to this trend. Climate change has triggered further ...

The staghorn coral, Acropora cervicornis, was previously a major reef-building scleractinian coral throughout Florida and the Caribbean, but since in the 1980s the species has experienced unprecedented population declines primarily due to disease and bleaching. As a result, the species was listed as...

Biscayne National Park, located in Miami’s back yard, protects extensive mangrove forests, seagrass meadows, the northernmost Florida Keys, and a portion of the Florida Keys Reef Tract. Status as a national park offers a level of protection from some local stressors, yet the park’s proximity to ...

Cellular stress memory is an important and conserved feature across the tree of life. A growing body of evidence in the literature suggests corals may have a thermal stress memory. Indeed, knowledge of coral stress memory could improve restoration outcomes. To elicit thermal stress memory in the lab...

Caribbean coral populations are actively being restored via asexual fragmentation of adult populations and the production of sexual offspring. The goal of restoration is to increase population sizes while maximizing adaptive potential of restored populations. Because the total number of remaining wi...

Stress hardening, a technique using controlled stress to induce net positive physiological change, has been proposed as a scalable tool to improve the heat tolerance of nursery-grown corals through bleaching and recovery. Public-facing experiments in the Inventors in Residence Lab at the Phillip and...

Presently, one of the most widespread and virulent coral disease outbreaks on record is affecting the Florida Reef Tract (FRT), resulting in the mortality of thousands of colonies of at least 20 species of scleractinian coral, including the primary reef building species. First reported near Key Bisc...

A major priority in coral restoration is to increase settlement and post-settlement survival by orders of magnitude. Bacteria have the ability to induce settlement in marine larvae, moderate host-symbiont relationships, prevent invasion by pathogens, and improve gut health. To identify, isolate, and...

Scleractinian corals secrete calcium carbonate skeleton to form the solid foundation of the reef matrix. This process of calcification both captures (at geological time scales) and releases (at annual time scales) CO2 at a rate of 0.6 moles for each mole of CaCO3 deposited. Due to the small amount o...

Site selection can be challenging in restoration, as the relationship of colony fitness and survival between nursery and outplanted coral fragments is not necessarily linear. Nearshore nursery-reared fragments (n=7 genets) were used to derive a cumulative thermal stress model that adequately matched...

Rapid developments in coral restoration represent a glimmer of hope for globally declining reefs. Despite these advancements, the world's oceans are becoming increasingly hostile to reef building corals. Considering only climate change amongst numerous stressors, a complete collapse of coral reefs m...

The severe loss of hard coral cover over the past 30 years has prompted an interest in reef restoration by transplanting coral fragments. However, not all coral transplants are equally successful and the ecological conditions necessary for transplant resiliency in the face of disturbances are not we...

Over the past 30 years we have lost 50% of corals worldwide. With climate change projections increasing over time, it is estimated that only 10% of corals will survive past 2050. Therefore, we must intervene to establish a foundation of resilient corals that allow our reefs to have a future. In 2015...

The decline of living coral throughout much of the Florida Reef Tract, with no sign of community recovery over the last several decades, has resulted in a substantial need for active coral restoration. However, much of the threats associated with coral mortality, such as high water temperatures and ...

As climate change decimates coral communities on a global scale, effective outplanting of resilient corals will become an increasingly important management tool. This study examined endangered Caribbean coral Acropora cervicornis with three objectives. 1) Determine if there is significant phenotypic...

In the Caribbean, corals are commonly cultured in ocean-based nurseries and outplanted back to reefs for population enhancement. Intraspecific diversity in host and symbiont is an important consideration for nursery and resource managers. We built upon a previous study that quantified Acropora cervi...

Increasing sea surface temperatures and ocean acidification are threatening the long-term survival of corals and the persistence of coral reef ecosystems. The coral microbiome has been identified as a potential factor in the resilience of corals to these changing environmental conditions. Improving ...

Introduction to the session: Creating a Regional Vision for Urban Reef Restoration: A Case Study from Biscayne, FL

The Government of Mauritius is committed to ensuring responsible and sustainable development of the aquaculture industry in the island. Thirty-one sites have been allocated for marine-based aquaculture both lagoonal and offshore exploitation. One of the criticisms normally levied against floating ca...

This year, Australia embarked on a bold project: to create an innovative suite tools that can be rolled-out at the scale needed to help preserve and restore the Great Barrier Reef. They must be targeted, affordable, risk-assessed and socially and ethically acceptable. The breadth and sophistication ...

This ethnographic research in the Caribbean Sea off Colombia approaches coral restoration through the mutual dependencies of corals, fish, scientists, and black islanders and fishers. It explores how coral nurseries are also nurseries for fish, scientists, and the marine territories of islanders. It...

Coral reefs naturally protect coasts from erosion and flooding by attenuating wave energy and supplying sediment to the adjacent beaches. Declines in reef condition coupled with increasing rates of global sea level rise are jeopardizing communities and coastal infrastructure. The typical hard engine...

The north of Mozambique is famous for the biodiversity of coral, specially Acropora genera. Despite climate change the region recovered well for the el Ninõ 1998 and after that was not hit. Meanwhile the 3th biggest reserves of gas where discover in deep sea, and a big LNG plant is going to be buil...

The Varadero Reef is a relic of a wider reef system located close to one of the straits that connect the Bay of Cartagena in Colombia to the Caribbean Sea. This reef has remained relatively healthy despite the poor environmental conditions associated to significant freshwater discharges with high se...

The coastal bays and coral reefs of Biscayne support diverse natural resources, and lucrative tourism and fishing industries that generate billions of dollars in regional economic activity. Biscayne, the nation’s largest marine National Park, is visited by more than 250,000 persons annually due to...