A new study by scientists at the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) and the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (CIMAS) provides new insights for effective restoration of the crucial reef-building coral species Acropora palmata, or Elkhorn coral.
Applying ‘Omics techniques to investigate how habitat and coral microbiomes influence ongoing restoration efforts, this research indicates Acropora palmata outplanted in shallow, low-nutrient waters and high velocity currents have a higher probability of survivorship.
A. palmata forms thickets up to 12 feet in diameter and six feet in height in shallow water that – along with Staghorn and star coral species – created over millennia the large swaths of coral reefs throughout the Caribbean today. Storm surge protection, crucial habitat for rich biodiversity and essential fisheries, millions in economic value in Florida tied to tourism alone – these corals have built the reefs that entire ecosystems and coastal communities depend on.
