Propagated corals reveal increased resistance to bleaching across the Caribbean during the fatal heat wave of 2023
SECORE International's Coral Seeding approach utilizes assisted reproduction, the breeding of corals, for reef restoration. This approach is realized within a training and partner network throughout the Caribbean. Now, a ...
The study, "Assisted sexual coral recruits show high thermal tolerance to the 2023 Caribbean mass bleaching event," is published in PLoS ONE.
The summer of 2023 was deadly for many corals in the Caribbean Basin. An unprecedented heat wave, in intensity as well as in duration, hit the Caribbean with catastrophic effects. Coral bleaching spread in the Caribbean Sea, and as high (seawater) temperatures persisted, many weakened corals died.
Sandra Mendoza Quiroz, SECORE'S Restoration Coordinator in Mexico, was the first to discover a glimmer of hope during that desperate time. When Mendoza Quiroz and her colleagues set out for a routine monitoring dive to check on the health of their out-planted corals, expectations were low. But then, amidst the bleached corals on the reef, she spotted the first young corals that had grown, and they appeared to be completely healthy.
A similar observation was made by SECORE's team on Curaçao: bred corals of a different species were withstanding the elevated temperatures as well.
"We were excited to observe this pattern showing another benefit of using assisted coral recruits in restoration," says Dr. Margaret Miller, SECORE'S Research Director.
"Our scientists in Curaçao and Mexico, together with our partner Coralium Lab (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México), gathered data on the health status of several species and cohorts of our outplanted corals. Then we contacted partners throughout our Caribbean Restoration Network to see how widespread and consistent this pattern was.
Healthy, young, bred coral during last summer's bleaching in the Caribbean on the reef. Credit: Raul Tecalco Renteria/SECORE International