Coral reefs, often referred to as the “rainforests of the sea,” are crucial to marine ecosystems, local economies and coastal protection.
To restore these vital underwater structures, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) and The Florida Aquarium’s Coral Conservation and Research Center have been collaborating since 2012. Together, they’re advancing coral restoration science and ensuring these vibrant ecosystems thrive for future generations.
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The partnership combines UF/IFAS’s cutting-edge aquaculture research with The Florida Aquarium’s expertise in marine animal care. The centerpiece of their joint effort lies in cultivating coral and sea urchins collected from the Florida Keys, nurturing them in controlled environments, and deploying them back into the wild.
Why coral reefs matter
Coral reefs serve as crucial habitats for marine life, offer protection to coastal properties by reducing wave energy, and support millions of livelihoods worldwide. Florida boasts the only coral reef system in the continental United States, ranking as the third-largest barrier reef system globally.
“Coral reefs are hugely important,” said Dr. Josh Patterson, UF/IFAS associate professor of restoration aquaculture. “Florida is the only U.S. state in the lower 48 that has coral reefs, and we actually have the third largest barrier reef system in the world.”
Key statistics highlight their global significance:
- 400 million people rely on coral reef fish for protein.
- 6 million people make their living from fishing reef species.
- Reef-related tourism, such as snorkeling and SCUBA diving, generates $9.6 billion annually.
- Florida’s coral reef alone supports 70,000 jobs.
The role of sea urchins in restoration
Sea urchins play a vital role in coral reef health. These herbivorous creatures control algae growth, which can otherwise smother and kill coral. The UF/IFAS-Aquarium collaboration focuses heavily on cultivating urchins alongside juvenile corals to improve survival rates once they’re replanted on the reef.
“Adding urchin grazers to help corals produced by the Aquarium exemplifies our partnership perfectly,” Patterson explained.
How the collaboration works
At The Florida Aquarium, Senior Biologist Matt Wade and Biologist Alex Petrosino manage the care of parent corals and urchins. They ensure the animals are healthy, well-fed, and thriving in optimal conditions for reproduction. This meticulous husbandry supports UF/IFAS’s research, which focuses on creating genetically diverse corals through sexual reproduction—an approach that enhances resilience to changing environmental conditions.
“Our partnership with the University of Florida is really great, because they bring the research side of things, and we bring the husbandry side of things,” Wade said. “So, we take care of the animals, making sure they’re healthy, so UF/IFAS can have living animals for their research. We make sure we keep good water quality, so the corals stay healthy. We also take care of the urchins. They’re great at cleaning algae for us.”
Juvenile corals are particularly vulnerable to algae overgrowth. By introducing urchins into the same environment, researchers have discovered that corals grow significantly faster, leading to better outcomes when transplanted back to the reef.
Partnership for sustainable future
The collaboration is a model for conservation science, blending research and practical application to address the urgent need for coral restoration. As climate change and other threats intensify, efforts like this are essential to safeguarding the world’s coral reefs.
“Together, we’re ensuring the future of Florida’s Coral Reef and its critical role in marine biodiversity,” Patterson said.
With thousands of juvenile corals and urchins being released back into the wild each year, the joint efforts of UF/IFAS and The Florida Aquarium are a testament to what can be achieved through collaboration, science, and shared passion for the environment.