SPCMSC and University of Miami Scientists Collaborate on New Experiments to Guide National Park Service Coral Restoration Plans
Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey’s St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) and the University of Miami have launched a new collaborative effort to support the National Park Service (NPS) in restoring endangered corals within Dry Tortugas National Park.
Between April 2 and 7, 2026, a joint research team traveled aboard the M/V Makai to deploy experimental coral specimens across the park. The project aims to generate data that will help NPS assess the potential effectiveness of emerging coral restoration strategies following unprecedented coral losses in recent years.
Coral reefs, which play a vital role in coastal protection and fisheries, suffered widespread mortality during the marine heatwaves of 2023. The Florida Keys were especially affected, with heat stress leading to near-total collapse of threatened elkhorn and staghorn corals. To help reverse this decline, USGS and University of Miami scientists are studying how genetically diverse coral offspring perform in today’s warming oceans.
The research focuses on baby elkhorn corals (Acropora palmata) produced by crossing Florida parent colonies with both Florida and Honduras parent stocks. Historically, these populations intermingled naturally, and introducing greater genetic diversity may bolster the species’ resilience and recovery potential.
USGS scientists Dr. Ilsa Kuffner, Anastasios Stathakopoulos, Sierra Bloomer, and BJ Reynolds joined University of Miami Rosenstiel School team members Dr. Carly Dennison, Bailey Marquardt, Maren Stickley, and Jordan Holder from Dr. Andrew Baker’s Coral Reef Futures Laboratory. Together, they placed 34 young elkhorn corals at three sites throughout Dry Tortugas National Park, securing them to “calcification-assessment network” stations designed to measure coral growth and skeletal development.
Over the next two years, the team will return every six months to evaluate coral survival, growth, calcification rates, and other physiological indicators. These measurements will help determine how corals of varying genetic backgrounds fare under real-world ocean conditions.
The overarching goal of the project is to provide NPS and other resource managers—across Florida, Puerto Rico, and the broader western Atlantic—with essential scientific information to guide future restoration decisions. The work is jointly funded by the USGS Coastal Marine Hazards and Resources Program, the National Park Service, and the University of Miami Rosenstiel School.
Click here to learn more: Measuring Coral Growth to Help Restore Reefs | U.S. Geological Survey