Using previously awarded federal funding, marine life experts at the University of Miami have been hard at work searching for ways to restore Florida's famed coral reefs and to help the reefs better adapt to rising ocean temperatures. 

The work has involved widespread coordination among the university, government agencies, and nonprofit groups. 

"I've never seen so many dedicated people rise to the occasion and say, 'We have to try harder,'" said Maddie Cholnoky, implementation manager of the Mission: Iconic Reefs program, per NOAA. "These incredible organizations are sharing knowledge, science, and lessons learned." 

In 2023, NOAA's Office of Habitat Conservation awarded UM $16 million to search for ways in which new science and technology could improve coral breeding and restoration practices.

That same year, Florida's coral reefs experienced a catastrophic bleaching event amid record-setting temperatures.

"The 2023 heat wave in Florida was unprecedented," NOAA said at the time. "It started earlier, lasted longer, and was more severe than any previous event in that region."

Coral bleaching occurs when coral experiences extreme stress from high temperatures. Bleaching does not necessarily kill the coral, and some corals are able to return to health after bleaching. However, pushed far enough, bleaching can result in death and can prove catastrophic for reefs. 

Around the world, coral reefs provide important habitats for a wide range of marine life. The loss of coral also poses a threat to the human food supply and to those who depend on reefs for their livelihoods. 

In Florida alone, coral reefs pump $6.3 billion into the local economy annually, supporting 71,000 jobs, according to NOAA.

Following the 2023 bleaching event, the program shifted strategies from restoring existing coral populations to developing and introducing more heat-tolerant coral to Florida's reefs.

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One way in which the researchers have tried to make Florida reefs more resilient to rising temperatures is by breeding coral accustomed to the hotter waters off Honduras with local coral.

Researchers have also paired "baby corals with beneficial symbiotic algae and probiotic bacteria to improve their ability to withstand future bleaching," NOAA said. 

Other methods include selectively breeding coral that survived the 2023 bleaching event to pass on their heat-tolerant characteristics, as well as raising baby coral in higher temperatures so they become acclimated to hotter water. 

As global temperatures rise, as much as 91% of the excess heat is absorbed by the world's oceans, according to Climate.gov.

As ocean temperatures increase, it does a lot more than just bleach coral. When water warms, it expands in a process known as thermal expansion. Thermal expansion is responsible for roughly half of the current sea level rise, according to NASA.

Higher air and water temperatures also lead to more evaporation, which increases the amount of moisture in the air, resulting in more severe storms. Furthermore, higher temperatures impact the populations and migration patterns of marine life, some of which, including Pacific salmon, are key sources of food and livelihoods for many people, per NOAA. 

While it is important to help ecosystems become more resilient in the face of rising temperatures, the best way to make a difference is to reverse the trend of rising global temperatures altogether.

To do so, it is necessary to significantly reduce the amount of heat-trapping pollution entering the atmosphere. While this will require large-scale coordination on the international and national level, there are plenty of things that can be done locally, as well.

For example, driving an electric vehicle or installing solar panels are both great ways to reduce planet-warming pollution while also saving money on gas and electricity.

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