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Mote Marine Laboratory scientists have restored more than 216,000 corals to Florida’s Coral Reef—an exciting milestone. Starting in 2020, several of our restored corals spawned, engaging in sexual reproduction to produce new generations of corals. Mote’s corals were the first of any massive or mounding species documented to spawn after being restored to Florida or Caribbean waters.
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Coral reefs are unique natural treasures that need our help
Coral reefs cover less than 1% of the ocean floor but support about 25% of marine life. However, coral reefs around the world are declining due to climate change—including increasing temperatures and ocean acidification—along with coral disease, pollution, overfishing and other stressors.
Florida’s Coral Reef—which stretches approximately 350 miles from the Dry Tortugas to the St. Lucie Inlet—provides more than $8 billion economic impact, attracting visitors, protecting coastlines from major storms and supporting diverse life including fisheries. However, Florida’s Coral Reef has lost all but 2% of its living coral cover in recent decades and is struggling to survive amid growing environmental pressures. Today, the major disease outbreak known as stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) is one of the most urgent and devastating challenges for brain, maze, boulder, star, pillar and other slow-growing corals that form the very foundations of Florida’s Coral Reef.
Science-based coral reef restoration
Mote Marine Laboratory’s Coral Reef Restoration Program develops and applies science-based strategies with the goal of restoring depleted coral reefs in our lifetime. Specifically, Mote researchers are working to optimize restoration using diverse coral genotypes (genetic varieties), prioritizing native genetic varieties that can resist SCTLD and other stressors such as increased water temperatures and ocean acidification.
These critical efforts are based at on Summerland Key, Florida. Mote scientists cultivate diverse corals for restoration and research in IC2R3’s land-based coral nurseries and in underwater nurseries where corals are grown on PVC “trees.”
Our efforts are having significant impacts.
Restoration success
Since 2008, Mote scientists have planted more than 216,000 corals of multiple native species and more than 325 genotypes to restore depleted reefs. In summer 2020, we documented that our restored massive corals (mountainous star coral, Orbicella faveolata) had spawned, engaging in sexual reproduction to produce new generations of corals, and our restored branching corals (staghorn coral, Acropora cervicornis) were sexually mature and capable of spawning as well. These discoveries represent breakthroughs in our efforts to restore coral reefs to self-sustaining life.
Producing diverse, native corals in our ever-expanding nurseries
- Mote’s land-based nurseries are growing about 34,400 coral fragments of 17 species and 1,120 unique genotypes in our land-based coral nurseries. These include both branching and massive corals.
- Mote’s underwater nurseries are growing about 21,400 coral fragments of six coral species (both branching and massive) comprising 190 unique genotypes. Our genotypes represent wild, native corals from across Florida’s Coral Reef, and our staghorn and elkhorn coral genotypes include “sexual recruits”—offspring from our strategic breeding of native parent corals to supply fresh genetics to our restored populations.
Stronger coral restoration through scientific research, resilience testing and sexual reproduction
Grounded in the best available science, Mote researchers carry out every step essential for resilient coral reef restoration. Our uniquely comprehensive approach includes: coral sexual reproduction (spawning, fertilization, and settlement); growing corals from microscopic larvae to adult colonies; producing more colonies through fragmenting corals asexually; testing coral genetic varieties for resilience to disease, climate change and related stressors; planting corals onto damaged reefs; and raising corals to maturity to start the process again.
Mote scientists work to screen corals for resistance or resilience to known stressors attributed to climate change and disease, allowing us to identify and incorporate resilient coral genotypes into our restored populations. We also conduct a myriad of other scientific studies that inform our restoration practices. From 2015-2020 alone, Mote’s coral-focused scientists have authored or co-authored 43 peer-reviewed scientific papers on multiple aspects of coral biology, restoration, health and disease, climate change impacts and more.
To promote health and survival, especially in the face of environmental change and stress, we maintain genetic diversity within our restored coral populations through controlled and strategic breeding of native corals. Genetic diversity, powered by sex, is a safety net that promotes population resilience by providing a buffer against environmental change and the flexibility to adapt. However, many populations of foundational coral species are experiencing reproductive failure in the wild, which has serious implications for a population’s ability to persist over the long-term and recover post-disturbance. Sexual reproduction provides the next generation of genetically diverse coral offspring that can replenish depleted adult populations and promote population recovery after, for example, a bleaching event or disease outbreak. This is why incorporating assisted coral sexual reproduction into active coral reef restoration strategies is important.
About 80% of the coral genotypes in Mote’s care were produced by Mote scientists through assisted sexual reproduction events. (Read stories about our sexual reproduction efforts with threatened native species: elkhorn and staghorn corals.)
Science-based reef restoration is central to Mote's Florida Keys Coral Disease Response & Restoration Initiative, which aims to help coral reefs recover from SCTLD and other serious challenges. Mote is co-leading a Restoration Trials Team within the multi-partner response to the disease outbreak. (Read about the important role of restoration for the future of Florida's reefs in this 2019 article, and read about Mote's peer-reviewed research on SCTLD in this 2020 article.)
Mote's coral reef restoration efforts are made possible through collaboration with partners such as NOAA's Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and others. Mote’s research and restoration activities described above were conducted under permits from NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
Mote’s IC2R3 hosts the work of multiple Mote scientists and our collaborators from around the world.
- To support Mote's coral reef research and restoration with a donation, please contact Mote's Director of Development, Andria Piekarz, apiekarz@mote.org, 941-388-4441, ext. 352.
- For Mote internship opportunities with multiple programs and campuses, visit: mote.org/internship.
- To volunteer for Mote's Coral Reef Restoration Program, please fill out this form.
- Learn more about Mote's Elizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef Research & Restoration (IC2R3) at: mote.org/ic2r3.
Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
I am an expert and enthusiast based assistant. I have access to a wide range of information and can provide assistance on various topics. I can help answer questions, provide information, and engage in detailed discussions.
Regarding the concepts mentioned in the article about Mote Marine Laboratory's Coral Reef Restoration Program, let's discuss them one by one:
Coral Reefs
Coral reefs are unique natural treasures that cover less than 1% of the ocean floor but support about 25% of marine life. They are vital ecosystems that provide habitat, protection for coastlines, and economic benefits through tourism and fisheries. However, coral reefs are facing numerous threats, including climate change, coral disease, pollution, overfishing, and other stressors.
Florida's Coral Reef
Florida's Coral Reef stretches approximately 350 miles from the Dry Tortugas to the St. Lucie Inlet. It is a significant ecosystem that contributes over $8 billion to the economy, attracts visitors, and supports diverse marine life and fisheries. Unfortunately, Florida's Coral Reef has lost almost 98% of its living coral cover in recent decades and is struggling to survive due to environmental pressures. One of the major challenges it faces is the stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD), which affects slow-growing corals that form the foundation of the reef.
Mote Marine Laboratory's Coral Reef Restoration Program
Mote Marine Laboratory's Coral Reef Restoration Program aims to restore depleted coral reefs using science-based strategies. The program focuses on optimizing restoration by using diverse coral genotypes (genetic varieties) that can resist SCTLD and other stressors such as increased water temperatures and ocean acidification. Mote scientists cultivate diverse corals for restoration and research in land-based and underwater nurseries .
Coral Restoration Efforts
Since 2008, Mote scientists have planted more than 216,000 corals of multiple native species and more than 325 genotypes to restore depleted reefs. In summer 2020, it was documented that the restored massive corals (mountainous star coral, Orbicella faveolata) had spawned, engaging in sexual reproduction to produce new generations of corals. This is a significant breakthrough in the efforts to restore coral reefs to self-sustaining life.
Genetic Diversity and Sexual Reproduction
Mote scientists prioritize genetic diversity within their restored coral populations. They conduct controlled and strategic breeding of native corals to maintain genetic diversity, which promotes population resilience and the ability to adapt to environmental changes. Sexual reproduction plays a crucial role in producing genetically diverse coral offspring that can replenish depleted adult populations and promote population recovery after disturbances like bleaching events or disease outbreaks. About 80% of the coral genotypes in Mote's care were produced through assisted sexual reproduction events .
Collaboration and Partnerships
Mote Marine Laboratory's coral reef restoration efforts are made possible through collaboration with partners such as NOAA's Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and others. These partnerships help support research and restoration activities aimed at helping coral reefs recover from SCTLD and other challenges.
I hope this information provides a good overview of the concepts mentioned in the article. If you have any specific questions or would like to discuss any aspect in more detail, feel free to ask!
