The University of South Florida has partnered with the Keys Marine Laboratory to house thousands of coral in an attempt to save them following the heat wave of summer 2023. When water temperatures get too warm, corals can become stressed and expel the algae living in their tissues, causing them to turn white.

“For years we have been developing the infrastructure capacity to support reef restoration efforts that enable KML to temporarily house corals during emergencies such as this,” said Cynthia Lewis, director of KML. “Typically, water temperatures at this time of year are in the mid 80s, but we are already recording temperatures of 90 degrees. It is very alarming.”

• Cynthia Lewis