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Scientists Transplant Crossbred Corals to Help Save Miami's Reefs From Climate Change
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, JUL 3 – Researchers bred and transplanted hybrid elkhorn corals from Honduras to Miami reefs to increase genetic diversity and thermal tolerance amid severe coral decline, officials said.
- Scientists from the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School planted hybrid elkhorn coral fragments near Key Biscayne on July 1, 2025, to aid reef recovery.
- The effort responds to over 95% loss of Florida's elkhorn corals caused by disease, poor water quality, bleaching, and the 2023 marine heat wave.
- Researchers bred hardier elkhorn corals from Honduras, where conditions are warmer, and placed fragments on concrete bases along the reef to test survival and resilience.
- Lead researcher Andrew Baker called this 'the end of a very long process' and highlighted that Florida reefs need outside help due to global climate threats.
- This transplant marks the first permitted international coral crossbreeding on wild reefs and may increase genetic diversity to help corals withstand future warming.
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64 Articles
More and more in decline due to climate change, the attempt is made to pair local ones with species of Honduras more resistant to heat. "Reefs protect the coasts, without their risk of devastation"
Real Coral Reefs of Miami: A Q&A with the marine biologist behind a popular livestream
Downtown Miami might not be the first place that comes to mind when it comes to coral. Yet the Magic City is bordered by two enormous national parks–Everglades National Park to the west and the busy waters of Biscayne National Park to the east. These protected areas bring an incredible amount of biodiversity right into the bustling metropolis–including coral reefs. The Coral City Camera gives viewers an inside look at the ecosystem with a livest…
Scientists transplant crossbred corals to help rescue Miami's reefs from climate change
A team of scientists from the University of Miami, the Florida Aquarium and Tela Coral in Honduras is working together to transplant crossbred coral fragments onto a reef off Miami’s coastline that was devastated by coral bleaching two years ago.
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