Science & Technology
Research Collaborations
At Coral Restoration Foundation, we believe that collaboration drives innovation. By collaborating with leading researchers and institutions, we support groundbreaking science that advances coral restoration techniques, enhances genetic diversity, and builds resilience for coral reefs around the world.
CURRENT RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
These groundbreaking collaborations exemplify the breadth and innovation of research that CRF supports. Each of these projects showcases the diverse ways science is shaping the future of coral reef restoration, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in restoring and protecting our oceans.
UNDERWATER ZOOPLANKTON ENHANCEMENT LIGHT ARRAY
Dr. Andréa G. Grottoli, Ohio State University
We are currently testing the Underwater Zooplankton Enhancement Light Array, or UZELA, (US Patent Application Number PCT/US2023/078357) in our Tavernier Coral Tree Nursery. UZELA works by using light to attract zooplankton to the area around the corals, providing them with a more abundant food source. Zooplankton are microscopic animals that float in the ocean, and they’re a critical food source for corals. Corals that consume more zooplankton tend to be healthier, grow faster, and are more resilient to stress and mortality associated with bleaching.
If UZELA proves effective, it could revolutionize coral nursery operations. By improving coral health and survival rates, UZELA could help reduce the time it takes for corals to grow to a size suitable for outplanting onto reefs. This would not only enhance the success of coral restoration projects but also reduce the operating costs associated with growing and maintaining nursery corals.
SEA URCHIN LARVAL SETTLEMENT
Sustainable Oceans and Reefs (SOAR)
We are collaborating with Sustainable Oceans and Reefs (SOAR) on a project focused on maximizing the larval settlement of the long-spine black sea urchin Diadema antillarum – a critical herbivore whose populations collapsed in the Keys in the 1980s and 1990s.
SOAR has deployed bioball streamers (with 20 bioballs per streamer) at 10 duckbill anchors in the Tavernier Nursery and similar setups at Carysfort Nursery. Collectors, spaced every 2 feet along 15-20′ lines, are placed at 20-30′ depths. Juvenile Diadema collected in situ will be transferred to the SOAR grazer nursery for further cultivation and monitoring.
The project will not only hopefully contribute to boosting Diadema populations in the short to medium term, but will also hopefully enhance our understanding of Diadema larval settlement patterns, contributing to broader insights across the Florida Keys.
HYDROACOUSTIC REEF SITE ANALYSIS
University of Alberta
We are collaborating with the University of Alberta to utilize hydroacoustic techniques to assess the structural complexity of coral reefs where we outplant corals. Underwater microphones are deployed for up to three months, capturing a few minutes of reef sounds every hour.
Our goal is to determine if there is a correlation between acoustic complexity and reef health, which will help guide our restoration efforts towards areas with healthier ecosystems, enhancing our reef outplanting strategy.
CRF RESEARCH COLLABS BY SUBJECT
Impacts of Disease & Bleaching
2023
David Ehrens (University of Miami) Investigated immune responses in corals to understand how cells interact immunologically and enhance coral immune resilience.
2022
Serena Hackcroft, Dr. Eirin-Lopez, Dr. Martell (Florida International University, University of British Columbia) Researched the benefits of thermal stress hardening for coral restoration using both lab and field experiments.
2021
Dr. Ross Cunning (Shedd Aquarium) Continued work on thermal tolerance, using Coral Bleaching Automated Stress System (CBASS) technology to rapidly assess how genotypes withstand elevated water temperatures.
Kelsey Johnson-Sapp (University of Miami) Investigated the impact of thermal tolerance differences across coral genotypes using CBASS.
Dr. Steven Vollmer (Northeastern University) Explored how CRF staghorn genotypes react to disease, aiming to understand stress factors that affect coral health.
Megan Kennedy (Nova Southeastern University) Researched the impact of UV-filters on coral reefs and how they affect Acropora cervicornis tissues.
2020
Ana Palacio (University of Miami) Investigated genetic trade-offs in disease-resistant Acropora cervicornis and measured how nutrient stress affects disease resistance.
Christina Kellogg (USGS) Investigated whether the SCTLD pathogen is bacterial, viral, or other using boulder coral Orbicella faveolata from CRF nurseries as test specimens.
Ross Cunning (Shedd Aquarium) Tested the thermal tolerance of Acropora cervicornis genotypes, helping to understand their varied response to temperature changes.
2016
Margaret Miller (NOAA) Studied disease susceptibility of Acropora spp. corals through screening assays for disease resistance and Acropora palmatafecundity.
Gene Sequencing & Genetic Resilience
2023
Hayley Bedwell (University of Texas) Researched how CRF genotypes perform differently in different reef environments to understand why some restoration efforts are more successful than others.
Dr Kelly Gomez-Campo (Pennsylvania State University) Continued using CBASS to assess coral populations of A. palmata, O. faveolata, P. astreoides, and Siderastreaspp that are resilient to heat stress and explore their genomic characteristics to guide conservation actions.
2022
Dr. Matthew Gilg (University of North Florida) Explored whether Acropora cervicornis genotypes are tolerant of various stressors and analyzed their response to thermal and light stress.
2017
Dr. Steve Vollmer (Northeastern University) Provided haplotype information for staghorn and elkhorn genotypes to assist in tracking outplanting success.
Iliana Baums (Penn State University) Performed genotypic SNP research on Caribbean Acroporids to resolve populations and hybrids to assist with selecting genotypes for restoration.
Coral Nurseries
2023
Dr. Michael Gerdes (Capital Coral) Tested how fire coral (Millepora complanata) could be used to reduce biofouling on nursery structures and support growth.
Taylor Gill (University of Miami) Researched the movement of coral genotypes between nurseries and how foreign corals grow when moved between regions
Dr. Michael Gerdes (Capital Coral) Researched the reproduction of Porites astreoides in CRF nurseries and tested its suitability for outplanting.
2022
Dr. Michael Gerdes (Capital Coral) Worked with CRF to prevent biofouling of corals on nursery plugs, improving growth conditions in ocean-based nurseries.
2021
Joseph Henry (University of Miami) Studied the effect of grow-out time in nurseries on coral health and sexual reproduction before outplanting.
Spawning & Sexual Reproduction
2022
Dr. Cheryl Woodley (NOAA) Collected gametes from Acropora cervicornis colonies in CRF’s nurseries to study reciprocal genetic crosses, enhancing genetic diversity.
2020
Scott Graves (Florida Aquarium) Participated in a large-scale spawning effort using CRF broodstock corals, successfully rearing coral recruits for outplanting.
Linda Penfold (SEZARC) Investigated gamete reproductive success using cryopreservation techniques and improved post-thaw viability for Acropora cervicornis.
Joana Figueiredo (Nova Southeastern University) Used high-resolution models to assess larval dispersal and identify restoration sites for optimal coral outplanting.
2019
Rachel Serafin (Florida Aquarium) Led a successful spawning effort that resulted in genetically novel recruits from Acropora cervicornis and Acropora palmata.
2017
Margo McKnight, Scott Graves & Keri O’Neil (FLAQ) Conducted spawning research on CRF staghorn coral, which led to successful recruitment of larvae in lab environments.
Restoration Site Monitoring
2021
Stephanie Green (University of Alberta) Used photogrammetry and diver surveys to assess how outplanted corals are changing the physical and biological structure of reefs.
2016
Margaret Miller (NOAA) Analysed coral populations on restoration sites as well as reef sites where no population enhancement was taking place, documenting ongoing decline in areas without intervention vs population growth on restoration sites.
Ecology & Community Structure
2023
Dr. Andrew Baker (University of Miami) Investigated the use of hybrid Acropora prolifera for coral restoration, comparing its growth with other coral species.
Stephanie Green (University of Alberta) Partnered with CRF™ to study how fish recruitment changes in response to outplanted coral reefs, using both diver surveys and photogrammetry.
2017
R. Sean Fitzpatrick (Duke University) Researched the ability of natural buffers like seagrasses to protect coral reefs from heat stress.
Outplanting Methods
2023
Joseph Henry (University of Miami) Compared survivorship and outplanting success of sexually propagated coral fragments from CRF™ nurseries.
2022
Dr. John Hunt (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission) Conducted a multi-agency outplanting study to examine the effect of disease on Acroporacorals and the viability of different outplanting techniques.