ORLANDO, Fla. – As of the end of July 2023, 100% of the Great Florida Reef is now experiencing a bleaching event with the entirety of the Florida Keys at “Alert Level 2″ conditions. This is also the first time in history where areas around Southeast Florida have reached a level 2, meaning that severe temperature extremes may cause widespread bleaching with coral mortality likely.
Coral bleaching occurs when marine life loses its color in response to long periods of heat stress, showing their stark white coral skeleton.
The combination of an intense marine heat wave in the area along with a developing El Niño warmed the ocean, with current sea surface temperatures running as high or higher than ever recorded, speeding up coral reef bleaching and mortality rates.
During this event, some areas of the coral reef are experiencing heat stress exposure two times greater than when die-off is expected to begin.
Not only has the intensity been record-breaking in this area, but the onset and duration have also become a concern. Officially, this bleaching event began five to six weeks earlier than the other eight notable Florida reef bleaching events with these extreme conditions expected to continue into late September to early October.
An important point to make is that the outlook forecast models do not factor in tropical development over the coral reefs.
As we approach the peak of hurricane season, tropical systems could actually help slow down bleaching and mortality. This is because storms passing over the ocean absorb heat from the ocean to fuel further development. This in turn cools the ocean, giving the corals a little break from the heat. Along with absorbing heat storms also help by mixing the water, called upwelling, by bringing up cooler water from deeper in the ocean. Storms don’t have to be strong to make an impact on the coral. Widespread cloudiness can also help by blocking sunlight for a bit, allowing some cooling at the surface of the ocean.
Even though coral reefs only cover about 1% of the ocean floor, an estimated 25% of all marine life is dependent on coral reefs at some point in their life.
But the health and livelihood of our coral reef doesn’t remain below the ocean surface, it has a big impact on life on land. Check out the reasons why we should care about the health of our beautiful Great Florida reef by clicking here.
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