Reef Resilience Focus Area

Coral reef resilience is defined as the ability of a reef system to maintain key functions and processes in the face of stressors or pressures by either withstanding an impact or recovering from one when it happens. Coral reefs in southeast Florida are facing a variety of local and global stressors, including (but not limited to), poor water quality, pollution, coastal development, ocean acidification, and warming sea temperatures. Coral reef resilience is ultimately about coral reef health. Having a healthy reef helps coral communities better cope with and recover from major stress events such as storms, mass bleaching events, and coral disease outbreaks.

With a variety of stressors it’s important to have the latest science and strategies to better manage for resilience in a changing climate. Part of planning for resilience includes understanding the spatial variation of these local and global stressors, identifying which actions may be effective against various stressors, and deciding where to implement priority actions to maximize resilience potential.