As well as being beautiful, coral reefs are important for the incredible biodiversity that they support, giving vast communities of aquatic species a place to call home.

And given a significant number of our life-giving phytoplankton are among these coral-dwelling species, their importance cannot be underestimated.

Add to this the fact that coral reefs help to protect our coastlines from storms, and bring huge economic benefits because of fishing and tourist trips, and it becomes quite clear how vital their protection really is.

But fresh from the gutting news that climate-change driven coral die-back has pushed our planet’s climate past its first tipping point comes the recent announcement that two significant Floridian coral species are now effectively extinct.

This news, which was unveiled in a research paper published in the journal Science, has been a long time coming, with little improvement since a significant marine heatwave back in 2023 that had a detrimental effect on two species of coral.

Both the staghorn and elkhorn species of Acropora coral which live off Floridian and Caribbean shores are critically endangered, meaning that these species, which are fundamental to these coral reefs, were the target of significant conservation efforts.

Sadly however, the coral die-off was such that any remaining corals are no longer able to form effective habitats, and their ability to protect our coastlines is reduced too.

According to a statement from researcher Dr Ross Cunning, this is a pivotal time for Florida’s remaining reefs:

“We’re running out of time. Extreme heatwaves are increasing in frequency and severity due to climate change, and without immediate, ambitious actions to slow ocean warming and boost coral resilience, we risk the extinction of even more corals from reefs in Florida and around the world.”

In the study, the research team note the excess heat recorded during the heatwave in 2023 (between 2.3 and 4 times higher than the temperature since records began) alongside the mass-bleaching of the corals that resulted.

This process, in which corals lose their color due to stress (often heat related) can lead to the coral’s death if conditions do not approve.

Sadly, the team – alongside expert divers – concluded that between 98 to 100% of corals died across the state’s reefs (though the situation was much better in the cooler waters of southeast Florida, where a still-concerning 38% of corals died).

Why were the effects so intense on these species? Well thanks to the water quality and other human effects, the corals were already struggling, but the impacts of the heatwave simply pushed the corals too far.

All that remains now are efforts to conserve, and hopefully one day restore, these vital marine colonies.

If you thought that was interesting, you might like to read about why we should be worried about the leak in the bottom of the ocean.