Underwater Umbrellas Could Protect Coral Reefs From Heat Damage
The field trial found 20 shades reduced bleaching and helped some corals recover after heat stress, offering a cheaper option than replacing dead coral.
- In a study published in Frontiers in Marine Science, marine biologist Karen Neely of Nova Southeastern University presented "underwater umbrellas" that shade corals, reducing light exposure by 60% in the Florida Keys.
- Following the 2023 coral bleaching event that decimated branching corals, researchers sought to protect brain corals during 2024, the second-hottest summer on record in Newfound Harbor waters.
- Divers placed custom shades over two Atlantic brain coral species at Newfound Harbor, and "shaded corals even recovered some of their color after the shades were installed," Neely said.
- Shading preserves coral strength for disease resistance and reproduction, though Neely cautioned that "scaling is the big limitation of this study" and requires hard decisions about which corals to prioritize.
- While this method offers temporary small-scale protection, Neely emphasized that "we absolutely have to address climate change to have any hope of reefs as we know them existing in the future.
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Underwater sunshades could protect corals from extreme heat, but researchers warn: The method alone does not save the reefs.
Research in the Florida Keys (USA) explores the option of coral shading to give them temporary protection from extreme heat. The results are promising, although the limits are still to be assessed. Seas are warming and at certain times temperatures are extreme at a certain point, so scientists wonder: what can be done to protect corals when these sea heat waves are present? And a study that has been conducted in Florida seems to have the answer:…
Scientists put ‘underwater umbrellas’ over Florida corals during extreme heat; they worked, cutting sunlight by 60% and helping corals regain colour
Coral reefs are facing increasingly intense heat stress, and scientists in Florida have tested an unusual way to give vulnerable corals temporary relief:
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