Heat has essentially wiped out 2 key coral species on Florida reefs

After a searing ocean heat wave in 2023, two of the most historically important coral species in Florida are functionally extinct from the state’s reef, scientists have found.

Elkhorn and staghorn coral, known for their branching limestone arms that create incomparable reef habitat, have all but vanished everywhere except the northernmost sections of the reef, according to research published Thursday in the journal Science. Those that remain are so diminished that they are not able to contribute to the ecosystem in a meaningful way, the authors said.

The findings are a bracing example of the toll that climate change is wreaking on the world’s coral reefs, which support an estimated quarter of marine species, including fish that provide crucial protein and income in coastal communities. R