Growing coral to save the Florida reefs

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Will's feat- and will anything derail this train?

Nedimyer is coordinating his efforts with The Nature Conservancy and Florida's Mote Marine Laboratory, where scientists are also studying the effectiveness of coral planting.

In a small, windowless room filled with brightly colored saltwater tanks, marine biologist David Lackland pays close attention to the many different species of corals he is growing. "I'm a proud daddy when I look at that kind of stuff," he jokes.

Lackland is most passionate about coral and its future, and worries about its decline around the world.

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"The coral reefs are such a biological hot spot that if we lose those, the food chain above, everything in the ocean is going to suffer," he said.

Speaking of the staghorn and elkhorn corals that used to fill the South Florida reefs, he adds, "It's sort of depressing how fast these animals are going. And for as quick as they grow, it seems like they are disappearing just as fast."

Studying heat-resistant coral
Scientists say planting coral in the ocean can be tricky, because of changing environmental conditions. With rising ocean temperatures currently considered the primary cause for coral bleaching and die-offs, researchers are now studying heat-resistant coral.

"With the water quality and temperature and conditions continually getting worse, it may be harder and harder to replant the same coral that survives today," said Vaughn, at the Mote Lab.

Experts are also trying to understand why some corals of the same species, in the same colony, appear to weather rising temperatures and resist diseases better than others.

Meaghan Johnson, a marine program coordinator for The Nature Conservancy, has been diving with Nedimyer, trying to help unlock the secrets of coral survivability. She spends much of her time with a project known as The Florida Reef Resilience Program.

"It we can do our part here, and try to understand why some of these corals are doing better than others and really focus on those, I think we're ahead of the game," she said.

Nedimyer and other scientists are also taking note of the role spiny sea urchins may play in cleaning and protecting coral reef species.

The small, black sea creatures with long, sharp spines were very common in Florida Keys waters thirty years ago, but then virtually disappeared in the 1980's, because of a disease. Now they are starting to come back, and researchers have noticed they seem to promote the health and growth of corals by eating away algae and seaweed. As scientists contemplate coral planting programs, they are also considering the need to replant sea urchins with them.

"This is all very new," said Johnson. "It's all happening very quickly, and it's things we need to adapt to and try to figure out."

Finishing up another day of photographing and measuring his underwater coral nurseries, Nedimyer agreed with the need for more scientific studies.

"Growing coral is one thing," he said. "Finding the cause of the coral dying is another thing. You have to do both."

To fund some of this research, the State of Florida is now offering a special automobile license plate. Beneath a colorful image of coral, tropical fish and a scuba diver, the message on the plate is simple and to the point — "Protect our Reefs."

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