Florida Corals Listed as Functionally Extinct as Temperatures Rise

Some of the beautiful corals off the coast of Florida are now considered to be "functionally extinct" at the hands of record-breaking ocean water temperatures. Here is a look at this loss and what it means for the future of the coral in this part of the Atlantic basin.

Two Key Florida Corals Designated as Functionally Extinct

Two of the main corals that used to blanket the ocean floor off the coast of Florida are now considered to be functionally extinct. The extinction is being blamed on ocean water temperatures that hit the 90-degree barrier during the summer of 2023. The elkhorn and staghorn corals used to be known as reef builders in Florida. However, they are now critically endangered because of a variety of factors, ranging from extreme tropical weather, warming ocean temperatures, disease, and pollution.

While all of these factors have contributed to the demise of the corals, it was the unprecedented marine heat wave that ultimately resulted in the demise of the coral.  It is a well-known fact that heat stress is a major contributor to the death of coral. Rising temperatures cause the coral to eject the algae that give them their bright color and energy. What is left behind is a white, bleached skeleton. Coral can recover from temporary marine heat waves. However, should the heat remain intense for a long period of time, there is a higher risk that the coral will simply die.

The 2023 marine heatwave lasted for about three months. Scientists went underwater to closely track over 52,300 Acropora corals, a group that encompasses elkhorn and staghorn corals. The study was led by a joint effort between Chicago's Shedd Aquarium and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The research covered the entirety of the coral reef system in Florida, stretching for almost 350 miles from St. Lucie Inlet to the Dry Tortugas and Florida Keys.