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Ilsa B Kuffner, Ph.D.

Ilsa Kuffner is a Research Marine Biologist at the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center in St. Petersburg, Florida.

As a research marine biologist for the Coastal and Marine Geology Program, I investigate the causes and effects of coral reef degradation. I explore local- to global-scale stressors on reefs, and experimentally determine how environmental variables such as sea-surface temperature, water quality, seawater chemistry, nuisance macroalgae, and ocean acidification affect coral growth, the community structure of reefs, and the process of reef building. My work informs resource managers about the mechanisms causing reef degradation and how management efforts may be improved to protect and restore degraded reefs. Please visit the USGS Coral Reef Ecosystems Studies (CREST) website for more information (see link below).

Professional Experience

  • Research Marine Biologist, US Geological Survey, St. Petersburg Coastal & Marine Geology Science Center, 2002 to present

  • Faculty, School for Field Studies, Center for Marine Resource Studies, Turks & Caicos Islands, 2001 to 2002
     

  • Director, Forfar Field Station, Andros Island, Bahamas, 2000 to 2001

  • Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Guam Marine Laboratory, Post-doc advisor: Valerie J. Paul, 1999 to 2000

Education and Certifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Department of Zoology, Ph.D. Chair: Paul L. Jokiel, 1999

  • Bachelor of Arts, University of New Hampshire, Department of Zoology, Minor: Marine Biology, 1993

Science and Products

Filter Total Items: 17

Experimental Coral-growth and Physiological Data and Time-series Imagery for Porites astreoides in the Florida Keys, U.S.A. Experimental Coral-growth and Physiological Data and Time-series Imagery for Porites astreoides in the Florida Keys, U.S.A.

The USGS Coral Reef Ecosystems Studies project provides science that helps resource managers tasked with the stewardship of coral reef resources. This data release contains data on coral-growth rates and time-series photographs taken of colonies of the mustard hill coral, Porites astreoides, grown at four sites on the Florida Keys reef tract from spring 2015 to spring 2017. The data will...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

DNA Microsatellite Markers for Mustard Hill Coral (Porites astreoides) from the Florida Keys Reef Tract DNA Microsatellite Markers for Mustard Hill Coral (Porites astreoides) from the Florida Keys Reef Tract

This data release includes allele sizes of 11 previously published microsatellites for 39 individuals of Porites astreoides (mustard hill coral) collected in the spring of 2017 from four locations in the Florida Keys: Fowey Rocks, Crocker Reef, Sombrero Reef, and Pulaski Shoal. Additionally, this data release also contains the DNA concentration of the extracted DNA prior to PCR reactions...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Experimental coral-growth data and time-series imagery for Acropora palmata in the Florida Keys, U.S.A. Experimental coral-growth data and time-series imagery for Acropora palmata in the Florida Keys, U.S.A.

The USGS Coral Reef Ecosystems Studies project (https://coastal.er.usgs.gov/crest/) provides science that helps resource managers tasked with the stewardship of coral reef resources. This data release contains data on coral-growth rates and time-series photographs taken of colonies of the elkhorn coral, Acropora palmata, grown at five sites on the Florida Keys reef tract from spring 2018...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Experimental Data on Construction and Erosion of Orbicella Coral Reefs in the Florida Keys, U.S.A. Experimental Data on Construction and Erosion of Orbicella Coral Reefs in the Florida Keys, U.S.A.

The USGS Coral Reef Ecosystems Studies project provides science that helps resource managers tasked with the stewardship of coral reef resources. This data release contains data on coral-growth rates for Orbicella sp. coral colonies grown at five sites on the Florida Keys reef tract from 2013 to 2015, survey data for census-based carbonate budgeting at Hen and Chickens Reef (Islamorada...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Sr/Ca and Linear Extension Data for Five Modern O. faveolata Colonies from Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida, USA Sr/Ca and Linear Extension Data for Five Modern O. faveolata Colonies from Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida, USA

Strontium/Calcium (Sr/Ca) ratios act as a proxy for sea surface temperature (SST) in the skeletons of aragonite producing organisms, such as massive corals. The Sr/Ca-SST proxy shows promise when applied to single Orbicella faveolata colonies in the Atlantic/Caribbean regions, but it is currently unknown how well the Sr/Ca-SST proxy performs between colonies of this species. It is...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Descriptive Core Logs, Core Photographs, Radiocarbon Ages, and Accretion Data from Holocene Reef Cores Collected Throughout the Florida Keys Reef Tract Descriptive Core Logs, Core Photographs, Radiocarbon Ages, and Accretion Data from Holocene Reef Cores Collected Throughout the Florida Keys Reef Tract

The USGS core archive (Reich and others, 2009; USGS Core Archive) houses an extensive collection of coral-reef cores that USGS researchers have collected from throughout the Florida Keys reef tract (FKRT; fig. 1). USGS scientists have compiled all available data on the 71 core records that recovered Holocene reef framework, including radiometric ages (radiocarbon and U-series), data on...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
Filter Total Items: 25
Image: USGS Coral Reef Researcher
USGS Coral Reef Researcher
USGS Coral Reef Researcher
Image: USGS Coral Reef Researcher

USGS Coral Reef Researcher

USGS Coral Reef Researcher

Don Hickey finishes installing ocean chemistry monitoring equipment on Sombrero Reef, Florida Keys.

By
Water Resources Mission Area, Communications and Publishing
Image: USGS Coral Reef Researcher

USGS Coral Reef Researcher

USGS Coral Reef Researcher

Don Hickey finishes installing ocean chemistry monitoring equipment on Sombrero Reef, Florida Keys.

By
Water Resources Mission Area, Communications and Publishing
Image: Coral Calcification Monitoring Stations
Coral Calcification Monitoring Stations
Coral Calcification Monitoring Stations
Image: Coral Calcification Monitoring Stations

Coral Calcification Monitoring Stations

Coral Calcification Monitoring Stations

Don Hickey tightens a bolt on a coral calcification monitoring station. Corals are being monitored for growth and sampled for climate proxy indicators (isotopes, elemental ratios).

By
Communications and Publishing
Image: Coral Calcification Monitoring Stations

Coral Calcification Monitoring Stations

Coral Calcification Monitoring Stations

Don Hickey tightens a bolt on a coral calcification monitoring station. Corals are being monitored for growth and sampled for climate proxy indicators (isotopes, elemental ratios).

By
Communications and Publishing
Five images of a coral with differing amounts of shading over the quadrants of the coral, shown at progressive dates.
Coral shading experiment during a bleaching event
Coral shading experiment during a bleaching event
Five images of a coral with differing amounts of shading over the quadrants of the coral, shown at progressive dates.

Coral shading experiment during a bleaching event

Coral shading experiment during a bleaching event

Here are shown a series of photographs of a rice coral (Montipora capitata) shaded with light filters during a natural “coral bleaching” event observed during anomalously high ocean temperatures in Autumn of 2004 on the island of Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi.

By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
Five images of a coral with differing amounts of shading over the quadrants of the coral, shown at progressive dates.

Coral shading experiment during a bleaching event

Coral shading experiment during a bleaching event

Here are shown a series of photographs of a rice coral (Montipora capitata) shaded with light filters during a natural “coral bleaching” event observed during anomalously high ocean temperatures in Autumn of 2004 on the island of Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi.

By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
Image: Flat Cays, U.S. Virgin Islands Coral Reef
Flat Cays, U.S. Virgin Islands Coral Reef
Flat Cays, U.S. Virgin Islands Coral Reef
Image: Flat Cays, U.S. Virgin Islands Coral Reef

Flat Cays, U.S. Virgin Islands Coral Reef

Flat Cays, U.S. Virgin Islands Coral Reef

Shallow coral reefs in the U.S. Virgin Islands are in jeopardy due to climate warming and ocean acidification.

By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Communications and Publishing
Image: Flat Cays, U.S. Virgin Islands Coral Reef

Flat Cays, U.S. Virgin Islands Coral Reef

Flat Cays, U.S. Virgin Islands Coral Reef

Shallow coral reefs in the U.S. Virgin Islands are in jeopardy due to climate warming and ocean acidification.

By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Communications and Publishing
Filter Total Items: 59

Heterotrophy, microbiome, and location effects on restoration efficacy of the threatened coral Acropora palmata Heterotrophy, microbiome, and location effects on restoration efficacy of the threatened coral Acropora palmata

The iconic and threatened Caribbean coral, Acropora palmata, is an essential reef-ecosystem engineer. Understanding the processes underpinning this coral’s survival and growth is essential to restoring this foundational species. Here, we compared replicate A. palmata colonies transplanted along 350 km of Florida’s offshore coral reef to determine holobiont and/or environmental variables...
Authors
Leila Chapron, Ilsa B. Kuffner, Dustin W. Kemp, Ann M. Hulver, Elise Keister, Anastasios Stathakopoulos, Lucy Bartlett, Erin O. Lyons, Andrea G. Grottoli
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

The potential for coral reef restoration to mitigate coastal flooding as sea levels rise The potential for coral reef restoration to mitigate coastal flooding as sea levels rise

The ability of reefs to protect coastlines from storm-driven flooding hinges on their capacity to keep pace with sea-level rise. Here, we show how and whether coral restoration could achieve the often-cited goal of reversing the impacts of coral-reef degradation to preserve this essential function. We combined coral-growth measurements and carbonate-budget assessments of reef-accretion...
Authors
Lauren T. Toth, Curt D. Storlazzi, Elizabeth M. Whitcher, Ilsa B. Kuffner, Ellen Quataert, Johan Reyns, Robert T. McCall, Anastasios Stathakopoulos, Zandy Hillis-Starr, Nathaniel H. Holloway, Kristin A. Ewen, Clayton G. Pollock, Tess Code, Richard B. Aronson
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Unified methods in collecting, preserving, and archiving coral bleaching and restoration specimens to increase sample utility and interdisciplinary collaboration Unified methods in collecting, preserving, and archiving coral bleaching and restoration specimens to increase sample utility and interdisciplinary collaboration

Coral reefs are declining worldwide primarily because of bleaching and subsequent mortality resulting from thermal stress. Currently, extensive efforts to engage in more holistic research and restoration endeavors have considerably expanded the techniques applied to examine coral samples. Despite such advances, coral bleaching and restoration studies are often conducted within a specific
Authors
R. Vega Thurber, E R Schmeltzer, A G Grottoli, R. van Woesik, R. J. Toonen, M E Warner, K L Dobson, R H McLachlan, K. L. Barott, D J Barshis, J H Baumann, L Chapron, D. J. Combosch, A. M.S. Correa, T M DeCarlo, M Hagedorn, Laetitia Hedouin, K D Hoadley, T Felis, C. Ferrier-Pages, C D Kenkel, Ilsa B. Kuffner, J L Matthews, Miguel Medina, C P Meyer, C Oster, J T Price, H M Putnam, Y Sawall
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Scale dependence of coral reef oases and their environmental correlates Scale dependence of coral reef oases and their environmental correlates

Identifying relatively intact areas within ecosystems and determining the conditions favoring their existence is necessary for effective management in the context of widespread environmental degradation. In this study, we used 3766 surveys of randomly selected sites in the United States and U.S. Territories to identify the correlates of sites categorized as “oases” (defined as sites with
Authors
Robin Elahi, Peter J. Edmunds, Ruth D. Gates, Ilsa B. Kuffner, Brian B. Barnes, Iliana Chollett, Travis A. Courtney, James R. Guest, Elizabeth A. Lenz, Lauren T. Toth, T. Shay Viehman, Ivor D. Williams
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Genetic structure and diversity of the mustard hill coral Porites astreoides along the Florida Keys reef tract Genetic structure and diversity of the mustard hill coral Porites astreoides along the Florida Keys reef tract

Increases in local and global stressors have led to major declines in coral populations throughout the western Atlantic. While abundances of other species have declined, however, the relative abundance of the mustard hill coral, Porites astreoides, has increased. Porites astreoides is relatively resilient to some stressors, and because of its mixed reproductive strategies, its...
Authors
Dominique N. Gallery, Michelle L. Green, Ilsa B. Kuffner, Elizabeth A. Lenz, Lauren T. Toth
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Physiological differences in bleaching response of the coral Porites astreoides along the Florida Keys reef tract during high-temperature stress Physiological differences in bleaching response of the coral Porites astreoides along the Florida Keys reef tract during high-temperature stress

The Florida Keys reef tract (FKRT) has a unique geological history wherein Holocene sea-level rise and bathymetry interacted, resulting in a reef-building system with notable spatial differences in reef development. Overprinted on this geologic history, recent global and local stressors have led to degraded reefs dominated by fleshy algae, soft corals, and sponges. Here, we assessed how...
Authors
Elizabeth A. Lenz, Lucy Bartlett, Anastasios Stathakopoulos, Ilsa B. Kuffner
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Non-USGS Publications**

Kuffner, I. B. and V. J. Paul, 2004, Effects of the cyanobacteria Lyngbya majuscula on the larval settlement of the reef corals Acropora serculosa and Pocillopora damicornis: Coral Reefs23:455-458.
Kuffner, I.B., 2002, Effects of ultraviolet radiation and water motion on the reef coral, Porites compressa: A transplantation experiment: Journal of Experimental Marine Biology & Ecology270(2):147-169.
Kuffner, I.B. and V. J. Paul, 2001, Effects of nitrate, phosphate and iron on the growth of macroalgae and benthic cyanobacteria from Cocos Lagoon, Guam: Marine Ecology Progress Series222:63-72.
Kuffner, I. B., 2001, Effects of ultraviolet radiation and water motion on the reef coral Porites compressa Dana: a flume experiment: Marine Biology 138:467-476.
Kuffner, I.B., 2001, Effects of ultraviolet radiation on larval recruitment of the reef coral, Pocillopora damicornis: Marine Ecology Progress Series 217:251-261.
Kuffner, I.B., 1999, The effects of ultraviolet radiation on reef corals and the sun-screening role of mycosporine-like amino acids: Ph.D. dissertation, Department of Zoology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, 164 pp.
Banaszak, A. T., M. P. Lesser, I. B. Kuffner and M. Ondrusek, 1998, Relationship between ultraviolet (UV) radiation and the concentration of mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) in marine organisms: Bulletin of Marine Science 63(3):617-628.
Kuffner, I. B., M. Ondrusek and M. P. Lesser, 1995, The distribution of mycosporine-like amino acids in the tissues of Hawaiian scleractinia; a depth profile: in D. Gulko and P.L. Jokiel (eds.) Ultraviolet Radiation and Coral Reefs. HIMB Tech Report No. 41, Sea Grant, Honolulu, pp. 77-85.
Grottoli-Everett, A., I. B. Kuffner, 1995, Individual polyp response to UV radiation in Montipora verrucosa: in D. Gulko and P.L. Jokiel (eds.) Ultraviolet Radiation and Coral Reefs. HIMB Tech Report No. 41, Sea Grant, Honolulu, pp. 115-120.

**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.

Filter Total Items: 28
Dr. Ilsa Kuffner will provide public lecture on coral reef research to guide restoration

Dr. Ilsa Kuffner will provide public lecture on coral reef research to guide restoration

Research Marine Biologist Dr. Ilsa Kuffner of the USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center will present, “Coral Reefs in Crisis – Science...

Read Article
SPCMSC scientists to commence new coral study in St. Croix, Virgin Islands, with the National Park Service

SPCMSC scientists to commence new coral study in St. Croix, Virgin Islands, with the National Park Service

A team from the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center will assist the National Park Service in starting a new experiment tracking the...

Read Article
Ilsa Kuffner and team finishing coral calcification study funded by the National Park Service in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

Ilsa Kuffner and team finishing coral calcification study funded by the National Park Service in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

A team of scientists from the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center will be wrapping up an experiment this week on coral calcification...

Read Article
SPCMSC and PCMSC scientists participating in 14th International Coral Reef Symposium

SPCMSC and PCMSC scientists participating in 14th International Coral Reef Symposium

USGS research will be presented by several USGS scientists during the virtual 14th International Coral Reef Symposium taking place 19-23 July 2021.

Read Article
New SPCMSC publication provides evidence of exceptional coral performance in Dry Tortugas National Park

New SPCMSC publication provides evidence of exceptional coral performance in Dry Tortugas National Park

USGS research published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science reveals differences in coral tolerance to heat stress across Florida Keys reef...

Read Article
Providing Guidance and Hope for Coral Restoration Efforts

Providing Guidance and Hope for Coral Restoration Efforts

Coral reefs are suffering due to multiple stressors in our changing world, but there is hope for recovery. New USGS science can help guide the way to...

Read Article

Science and Products

Filter Total Items: 17

Experimental Coral-growth and Physiological Data and Time-series Imagery for Porites astreoides in the Florida Keys, U.S.A. Experimental Coral-growth and Physiological Data and Time-series Imagery for Porites astreoides in the Florida Keys, U.S.A.

The USGS Coral Reef Ecosystems Studies project provides science that helps resource managers tasked with the stewardship of coral reef resources. This data release contains data on coral-growth rates and time-series photographs taken of colonies of the mustard hill coral, Porites astreoides, grown at four sites on the Florida Keys reef tract from spring 2015 to spring 2017. The data will...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

DNA Microsatellite Markers for Mustard Hill Coral (Porites astreoides) from the Florida Keys Reef Tract DNA Microsatellite Markers for Mustard Hill Coral (Porites astreoides) from the Florida Keys Reef Tract

This data release includes allele sizes of 11 previously published microsatellites for 39 individuals of Porites astreoides (mustard hill coral) collected in the spring of 2017 from four locations in the Florida Keys: Fowey Rocks, Crocker Reef, Sombrero Reef, and Pulaski Shoal. Additionally, this data release also contains the DNA concentration of the extracted DNA prior to PCR reactions...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Experimental coral-growth data and time-series imagery for Acropora palmata in the Florida Keys, U.S.A. Experimental coral-growth data and time-series imagery for Acropora palmata in the Florida Keys, U.S.A.

The USGS Coral Reef Ecosystems Studies project (https://coastal.er.usgs.gov/crest/) provides science that helps resource managers tasked with the stewardship of coral reef resources. This data release contains data on coral-growth rates and time-series photographs taken of colonies of the elkhorn coral, Acropora palmata, grown at five sites on the Florida Keys reef tract from spring 2018...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Experimental Data on Construction and Erosion of Orbicella Coral Reefs in the Florida Keys, U.S.A. Experimental Data on Construction and Erosion of Orbicella Coral Reefs in the Florida Keys, U.S.A.

The USGS Coral Reef Ecosystems Studies project provides science that helps resource managers tasked with the stewardship of coral reef resources. This data release contains data on coral-growth rates for Orbicella sp. coral colonies grown at five sites on the Florida Keys reef tract from 2013 to 2015, survey data for census-based carbonate budgeting at Hen and Chickens Reef (Islamorada...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Sr/Ca and Linear Extension Data for Five Modern O. faveolata Colonies from Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida, USA Sr/Ca and Linear Extension Data for Five Modern O. faveolata Colonies from Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida, USA

Strontium/Calcium (Sr/Ca) ratios act as a proxy for sea surface temperature (SST) in the skeletons of aragonite producing organisms, such as massive corals. The Sr/Ca-SST proxy shows promise when applied to single Orbicella faveolata colonies in the Atlantic/Caribbean regions, but it is currently unknown how well the Sr/Ca-SST proxy performs between colonies of this species. It is...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Descriptive Core Logs, Core Photographs, Radiocarbon Ages, and Accretion Data from Holocene Reef Cores Collected Throughout the Florida Keys Reef Tract Descriptive Core Logs, Core Photographs, Radiocarbon Ages, and Accretion Data from Holocene Reef Cores Collected Throughout the Florida Keys Reef Tract

The USGS core archive (Reich and others, 2009; USGS Core Archive) houses an extensive collection of coral-reef cores that USGS researchers have collected from throughout the Florida Keys reef tract (FKRT; fig. 1). USGS scientists have compiled all available data on the 71 core records that recovered Holocene reef framework, including radiometric ages (radiocarbon and U-series), data on...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
Filter Total Items: 25
Image: USGS Coral Reef Researcher
USGS Coral Reef Researcher
USGS Coral Reef Researcher
Image: USGS Coral Reef Researcher

USGS Coral Reef Researcher

USGS Coral Reef Researcher

Don Hickey finishes installing ocean chemistry monitoring equipment on Sombrero Reef, Florida Keys.

By
Water Resources Mission Area, Communications and Publishing
Image: USGS Coral Reef Researcher

USGS Coral Reef Researcher

USGS Coral Reef Researcher

Don Hickey finishes installing ocean chemistry monitoring equipment on Sombrero Reef, Florida Keys.

By
Water Resources Mission Area, Communications and Publishing
Image: Coral Calcification Monitoring Stations
Coral Calcification Monitoring Stations
Coral Calcification Monitoring Stations
Image: Coral Calcification Monitoring Stations

Coral Calcification Monitoring Stations

Coral Calcification Monitoring Stations

Don Hickey tightens a bolt on a coral calcification monitoring station. Corals are being monitored for growth and sampled for climate proxy indicators (isotopes, elemental ratios).

By
Communications and Publishing
Image: Coral Calcification Monitoring Stations

Coral Calcification Monitoring Stations

Coral Calcification Monitoring Stations

Don Hickey tightens a bolt on a coral calcification monitoring station. Corals are being monitored for growth and sampled for climate proxy indicators (isotopes, elemental ratios).

By
Communications and Publishing
Five images of a coral with differing amounts of shading over the quadrants of the coral, shown at progressive dates.
Coral shading experiment during a bleaching event
Coral shading experiment during a bleaching event
Five images of a coral with differing amounts of shading over the quadrants of the coral, shown at progressive dates.

Coral shading experiment during a bleaching event

Coral shading experiment during a bleaching event

Here are shown a series of photographs of a rice coral (Montipora capitata) shaded with light filters during a natural “coral bleaching” event observed during anomalously high ocean temperatures in Autumn of 2004 on the island of Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi.

By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
Five images of a coral with differing amounts of shading over the quadrants of the coral, shown at progressive dates.

Coral shading experiment during a bleaching event

Coral shading experiment during a bleaching event

Here are shown a series of photographs of a rice coral (Montipora capitata) shaded with light filters during a natural “coral bleaching” event observed during anomalously high ocean temperatures in Autumn of 2004 on the island of Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi.

By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
Image: Flat Cays, U.S. Virgin Islands Coral Reef
Flat Cays, U.S. Virgin Islands Coral Reef
Flat Cays, U.S. Virgin Islands Coral Reef
Image: Flat Cays, U.S. Virgin Islands Coral Reef

Flat Cays, U.S. Virgin Islands Coral Reef

Flat Cays, U.S. Virgin Islands Coral Reef

Shallow coral reefs in the U.S. Virgin Islands are in jeopardy due to climate warming and ocean acidification.

By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Communications and Publishing
Image: Flat Cays, U.S. Virgin Islands Coral Reef

Flat Cays, U.S. Virgin Islands Coral Reef

Flat Cays, U.S. Virgin Islands Coral Reef

Shallow coral reefs in the U.S. Virgin Islands are in jeopardy due to climate warming and ocean acidification.

By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Communications and Publishing
Filter Total Items: 59

Heterotrophy, microbiome, and location effects on restoration efficacy of the threatened coral Acropora palmata Heterotrophy, microbiome, and location effects on restoration efficacy of the threatened coral Acropora palmata

The iconic and threatened Caribbean coral, Acropora palmata, is an essential reef-ecosystem engineer. Understanding the processes underpinning this coral’s survival and growth is essential to restoring this foundational species. Here, we compared replicate A. palmata colonies transplanted along 350 km of Florida’s offshore coral reef to determine holobiont and/or environmental variables...
Authors
Leila Chapron, Ilsa B. Kuffner, Dustin W. Kemp, Ann M. Hulver, Elise Keister, Anastasios Stathakopoulos, Lucy Bartlett, Erin O. Lyons, Andrea G. Grottoli
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

The potential for coral reef restoration to mitigate coastal flooding as sea levels rise The potential for coral reef restoration to mitigate coastal flooding as sea levels rise

The ability of reefs to protect coastlines from storm-driven flooding hinges on their capacity to keep pace with sea-level rise. Here, we show how and whether coral restoration could achieve the often-cited goal of reversing the impacts of coral-reef degradation to preserve this essential function. We combined coral-growth measurements and carbonate-budget assessments of reef-accretion...
Authors
Lauren T. Toth, Curt D. Storlazzi, Elizabeth M. Whitcher, Ilsa B. Kuffner, Ellen Quataert, Johan Reyns, Robert T. McCall, Anastasios Stathakopoulos, Zandy Hillis-Starr, Nathaniel H. Holloway, Kristin A. Ewen, Clayton G. Pollock, Tess Code, Richard B. Aronson
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Unified methods in collecting, preserving, and archiving coral bleaching and restoration specimens to increase sample utility and interdisciplinary collaboration Unified methods in collecting, preserving, and archiving coral bleaching and restoration specimens to increase sample utility and interdisciplinary collaboration

Coral reefs are declining worldwide primarily because of bleaching and subsequent mortality resulting from thermal stress. Currently, extensive efforts to engage in more holistic research and restoration endeavors have considerably expanded the techniques applied to examine coral samples. Despite such advances, coral bleaching and restoration studies are often conducted within a specific
Authors
R. Vega Thurber, E R Schmeltzer, A G Grottoli, R. van Woesik, R. J. Toonen, M E Warner, K L Dobson, R H McLachlan, K. L. Barott, D J Barshis, J H Baumann, L Chapron, D. J. Combosch, A. M.S. Correa, T M DeCarlo, M Hagedorn, Laetitia Hedouin, K D Hoadley, T Felis, C. Ferrier-Pages, C D Kenkel, Ilsa B. Kuffner, J L Matthews, Miguel Medina, C P Meyer, C Oster, J T Price, H M Putnam, Y Sawall
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Scale dependence of coral reef oases and their environmental correlates Scale dependence of coral reef oases and their environmental correlates

Identifying relatively intact areas within ecosystems and determining the conditions favoring their existence is necessary for effective management in the context of widespread environmental degradation. In this study, we used 3766 surveys of randomly selected sites in the United States and U.S. Territories to identify the correlates of sites categorized as “oases” (defined as sites with
Authors
Robin Elahi, Peter J. Edmunds, Ruth D. Gates, Ilsa B. Kuffner, Brian B. Barnes, Iliana Chollett, Travis A. Courtney, James R. Guest, Elizabeth A. Lenz, Lauren T. Toth, T. Shay Viehman, Ivor D. Williams
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Genetic structure and diversity of the mustard hill coral Porites astreoides along the Florida Keys reef tract Genetic structure and diversity of the mustard hill coral Porites astreoides along the Florida Keys reef tract

Increases in local and global stressors have led to major declines in coral populations throughout the western Atlantic. While abundances of other species have declined, however, the relative abundance of the mustard hill coral, Porites astreoides, has increased. Porites astreoides is relatively resilient to some stressors, and because of its mixed reproductive strategies, its...
Authors
Dominique N. Gallery, Michelle L. Green, Ilsa B. Kuffner, Elizabeth A. Lenz, Lauren T. Toth
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Physiological differences in bleaching response of the coral Porites astreoides along the Florida Keys reef tract during high-temperature stress Physiological differences in bleaching response of the coral Porites astreoides along the Florida Keys reef tract during high-temperature stress

The Florida Keys reef tract (FKRT) has a unique geological history wherein Holocene sea-level rise and bathymetry interacted, resulting in a reef-building system with notable spatial differences in reef development. Overprinted on this geologic history, recent global and local stressors have led to degraded reefs dominated by fleshy algae, soft corals, and sponges. Here, we assessed how...
Authors
Elizabeth A. Lenz, Lucy Bartlett, Anastasios Stathakopoulos, Ilsa B. Kuffner
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Non-USGS Publications**

Kuffner, I. B. and V. J. Paul, 2004, Effects of the cyanobacteria Lyngbya majuscula on the larval settlement of the reef corals Acropora serculosa and Pocillopora damicornis: Coral Reefs23:455-458.
Kuffner, I.B., 2002, Effects of ultraviolet radiation and water motion on the reef coral, Porites compressa: A transplantation experiment: Journal of Experimental Marine Biology & Ecology270(2):147-169.
Kuffner, I.B. and V. J. Paul, 2001, Effects of nitrate, phosphate and iron on the growth of macroalgae and benthic cyanobacteria from Cocos Lagoon, Guam: Marine Ecology Progress Series222:63-72.
Kuffner, I. B., 2001, Effects of ultraviolet radiation and water motion on the reef coral Porites compressa Dana: a flume experiment: Marine Biology 138:467-476.
Kuffner, I.B., 2001, Effects of ultraviolet radiation on larval recruitment of the reef coral, Pocillopora damicornis: Marine Ecology Progress Series 217:251-261.
Kuffner, I.B., 1999, The effects of ultraviolet radiation on reef corals and the sun-screening role of mycosporine-like amino acids: Ph.D. dissertation, Department of Zoology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, 164 pp.
Banaszak, A. T., M. P. Lesser, I. B. Kuffner and M. Ondrusek, 1998, Relationship between ultraviolet (UV) radiation and the concentration of mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) in marine organisms: Bulletin of Marine Science 63(3):617-628.
Kuffner, I. B., M. Ondrusek and M. P. Lesser, 1995, The distribution of mycosporine-like amino acids in the tissues of Hawaiian scleractinia; a depth profile: in D. Gulko and P.L. Jokiel (eds.) Ultraviolet Radiation and Coral Reefs. HIMB Tech Report No. 41, Sea Grant, Honolulu, pp. 77-85.
Grottoli-Everett, A., I. B. Kuffner, 1995, Individual polyp response to UV radiation in Montipora verrucosa: in D. Gulko and P.L. Jokiel (eds.) Ultraviolet Radiation and Coral Reefs. HIMB Tech Report No. 41, Sea Grant, Honolulu, pp. 115-120.

**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.

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Dr. Ilsa Kuffner will provide public lecture on coral reef research to guide restoration

Dr. Ilsa Kuffner will provide public lecture on coral reef research to guide restoration

Research Marine Biologist Dr. Ilsa Kuffner of the USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center will present, “Coral Reefs in Crisis – Science...

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SPCMSC scientists to commence new coral study in St. Croix, Virgin Islands, with the National Park Service

SPCMSC scientists to commence new coral study in St. Croix, Virgin Islands, with the National Park Service

A team from the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center will assist the National Park Service in starting a new experiment tracking the...

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Ilsa Kuffner and team finishing coral calcification study funded by the National Park Service in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

Ilsa Kuffner and team finishing coral calcification study funded by the National Park Service in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

A team of scientists from the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center will be wrapping up an experiment this week on coral calcification...

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SPCMSC and PCMSC scientists participating in 14th International Coral Reef Symposium

SPCMSC and PCMSC scientists participating in 14th International Coral Reef Symposium

USGS research will be presented by several USGS scientists during the virtual 14th International Coral Reef Symposium taking place 19-23 July 2021.

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New SPCMSC publication provides evidence of exceptional coral performance in Dry Tortugas National Park

New SPCMSC publication provides evidence of exceptional coral performance in Dry Tortugas National Park

USGS research published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science reveals differences in coral tolerance to heat stress across Florida Keys reef...

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Providing Guidance and Hope for Coral Restoration Efforts

Providing Guidance and Hope for Coral Restoration Efforts

Coral reefs are suffering due to multiple stressors in our changing world, but there is hope for recovery. New USGS science can help guide the way to...

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