Coral Reefs

The South Florida Reef Tract, located east of the City of Miami Beach, is home to an abundant amount of marine species. Nearly 150 miles long and roughly 4 miles wide, the Florida Reef Tract extends from the Atlantic coast to the Dry Tortugas in the Gulf of Mexico. As the third largest barrier reef ecosystem in the world, the Florida reef makes for an ideal home for over 6,000 marine species including aquatic animals like fish, sharks, stingrays and sea turtles.  Over 45 species of stony corals and 35 species of octocorals are located along the Florida Reef Tract.

Florida’s coral reefs attract local residents and millions of tourist as they enjoy many benefits offered by the reefs like scuba diving, snorkeling, and fishing.  These activities provide a great source of income for Florida’s thriving tourism industry and coastal communities.

Coral reefs are a vital and beneficial component of our natural resources. They aid in the protection of our sea coasts by reducing wave energy from hurricanes and storms. With the unique coral reef structure acting as a natural barrier, coral reefs buffer shorelines against waves and floods that help prevent loss of life, property damage, and erosion.

Water pollution is endangering coral reefs across the world’s oceans. Today many coral reefs have experienced a health decline due to a combination of threatening factors including coral disease, coral bleaching, high ocean temperatures, and human impacts. Also, as the only barrier reef off the continental U.S., Florida’s coral reefs are at risk to ocean acidification. As the climate changes and warms, the ocean absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere which causes threats to coral reefs around the world.

Protection of Florida’s coral reef ecosystem is critical. When reefs are damaged or destroyed, the absence of this natural structure impacts coastal communities. Governments have recognized that coral reef ecosystems need conservation and formally acknowledged that marine protected areas (MPA) are important coral reef management tools.  In 2009, Florida’s Coral Reef Protection Act went into effect to increase the level of protection for endangered coral reefs.

The University of Miami’s coral restoration program is a citizen science project designed to support coral reef research and restoration activities to restore local staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis) populations on Miami’s coral reefs. Rescue A Reef expeditions are led by UM researchers, and provide a unique, hands-on education experience for recreational divers and snorkelers to participate in coral restoration efforts. Our mission is to educate and engage the local community, increase scientific literacy in coastal and coral reef conservation, and foster ocean stewardship.

To learn more about the UM citizen science program , click here.

The City of Miami Beach has partnered with the University of Miami's Laboratory for Integrative Knowledge ("ULINK") Coastal Resilience Team on partnership project to develop and test coastal resilience strategies that combine grey and green infrastructures to reduce the vulnerability of coastal communities.

Learn more about this project: ULINK Project