{"id":1521,"date":"2024-01-03T11:31:31","date_gmt":"2024-01-03T16:31:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mote.org\/?post_type=program&p=1521"},"modified":"2025-11-12T15:45:05","modified_gmt":"2025-11-12T20:45:05","slug":"coral-health-disease","status":"publish","type":"program","link":"https:\/\/mote.org\/research\/program\/coral-health-disease\/","title":{"rendered":"Coral Health & Disease"},"content":{"rendered":"

Several stressors including climate change and infectious diseases have caused significant losses in living coral, particularly in Florida, leading to ecosystems on the brink of functional extinction.\u00a0 The Coral Health & Disease Research Program studies the susceptibility and resistance to these major threats\u00a0 within and among coral species to identify mechanisms that can be utilized to promote reef resilience. The Program uses a wide variety of tools to answer questions about coral health and disease including field surveys, laboratory experiments, mathematical modeling, and molecular applications.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n

\n
\n
\n \n \"Dr. <\/a>\n <\/div>\n
\n Dr. Erinn Muller working at Mote's International Coral Gene Bank <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n
\n
\n \n \"Mote <\/a>\n <\/div>\n
\n Mote scientists dive in the ocean to test coral disease treatments. <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n
\n
\n \n \"Corals <\/a>\n <\/div>\n
\n Corals being grown at Mote's Elizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef Research & Restoration in the Florida Keys <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n
\n
\n \n \"Mote's <\/a>\n <\/div>\n
\n Mote's Dr. Erinn Muller works with interns on coral research tasks. <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n
\n
\n \n \"A <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/figure>\n
\n
\n \n \"Floating <\/a>\n <\/div>\n
\n Floating viewers (shallow cylinders with transparent bottoms) let guests peer down into the Rescue Coral Lab habitats at Mote where living corals are maintained. <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n\n \n

 <\/p>\n

Program Details<\/h2>\n
\n \n Current Projects\n <\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n
\n
\n
    \n
  • Identifying the genetic basis for heat tolerance in Acropora palmata<\/em> used for restoration in the Florida Keys<\/li>\n
  • Coral Cryogenic Preservation<\/li>\n
  • Using Natural-Based Products to Treat Common Endemic Coral Diseases in Florida\u2019s Coral Reef<\/li>\n
  • Multi-omic analysis of stony coral tissue loss disease resistance in restoration genotypes of Orbicella faveolata<\/em><\/li>\n
  • Coral Larval Propagation Services for Biscayne National Park<\/li>\n
  • Using newly developed and low-cost optical tools to improve the efficacy of coral restoration practices within the Florida Keys<\/li>\n
  • Mesophotic coral reproduction and recruit nursery<\/li>\n
  • Assessing the status of the threatened Acropora palmata<\/em> and mitigating disease transmission at Buck Island Reef National Monument<\/li>\n
  • Elucidating mechanisms underlying variation in Acropora<\/em> bleaching survival following the 2023 marine heat wave<\/li>\n
  • Does altering source water promote the acquisition of more heat tolerant algal symbionts within sexually produced Acropora cervicornis<\/em><\/li>\n
  • Using data from a decade of coral outplant survival monitoring and resilience experiments to inform Mote\u2019s science-based restoration practices by identifying resistant and genetically diverse corals<\/li>\n
  • Resilient Acropora cervicornis<\/em>, quantifying phenotypic variability to three major stressors: high water temperature, ocean acidification, and disease<\/li>\n
  • Expanding Mote\u2019s Restoration and Education Capacity in Florida<\/li>\n
  • Next-Generation Coral Restoration: Implementing and scaling new approaches to increase the climate resilience of Florida Coral Reef<\/li>\n
  • Automating and advancing water quality and ecosystem health sensing for coral reef restoration<\/li>\n
  • Rearing novel genotypes via assisted sexual reproduction for active coral restoration<\/li>\n
  • The role of adaptive plasticity in coral response to climate change<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>
    \n \n Grants Received\n <\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n
    \n
    \n

    This list is being updated.<\/em><\/p>\n

      \n
    • Using Natural-Based Products to Treat Common Endemic Coral Diseases in Florida\u2019s Coral Reef $388,777 (2023-2026)<\/li>\n
    • Using Newly Developed and Low-Cost Optical Tools to Improve the Efficacy of Coral Restoration Practices Within the Florida Keys $241,082 (2023-2026)<\/li>\n
    • Mesophotic coral reproduction and recruit nursery $305,549 (2024-2025)<\/li>\n
    • Laying a Foundation for the Long-Term Preservation of Coral Genetic Diversity and Abundance: Mote\u2019s International Coral Gene Bank $500,000 (2022-2027)<\/li>\n
    • Coral Larval Propagation Services for Biscayne National Park $249,149 (2023-2028)<\/li>\n
    • Assessing the status of the threatened Acropora palmata<\/em> and mitigating disease transmission at Buck Island Reef National Monument $259,354 (2024-2026)<\/li>\n
    • Automating and advancing water quality and ecosystem health sensing for coral reef restoration $52,709 (2024-2026)<\/li>\n
    • Next-Generation Coral Restoration: Implementing and scaling new approaches to increase the climate resilience of Florida Coral Reef $2,100,000 (2024-2028)<\/li>\n
    • Coral Survivor \u2013 Resist, Recover, Restore: Analysis of Mote Marine Laboratory\u2019s Coral Restoration Data in Relation to Major Disturbances, Including the 2023 Coral Bleaching Event $29,979.27 (2024-2026)<\/li>\n
    • Coral Survivor – Resist, Recover, Restore: Elucidating mechanisms underlying variation in Acroporid bleaching and survival following the 2023 marine heat wave $100,248.21 (2024-2025)<\/li>\n
    • Does altering source water promote the acquisition of more heat tolerant algal symbionts within sexually produced Acropora cervicornis<\/em>?\u201d $30,000 (2024-2025)<\/li>\n
    • Providing visitor use support for Mote\u2019s Elizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef Research and Restoration Microbial and Molecular Laboratory $38,859 (2024-2025)<\/li>\n
    • Expanding Mote\u2019s Restoration and Education Capacity in Florida $2,000,000 (2024-2026)<\/li>\n
    • The role of adaptive plasticity in coral response to climate change $230,038 (2022-2025)<\/li>\n
    • Optimizing light spectrum to upscale grow-out of coral recruits for restoration $243,742.46 (2023-2025)<\/li>\n
    • Elkhorn (Acropora palmata<\/em>) and Staghorn ( cervicornis<\/em>) Emergency Florida Gene Bank $129,764 (2025)<\/li>\n
    • Living coral biorepository support for founding acroporid corals $227,497 (2025-2026)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>

      \n \n Research Collaborators\n <\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n
      \n
      \n
        \n
      • Hanna Koch (Monroe County)<\/li>\n
      • Courtney Klepac (Stanford University)<\/li>\n
      • Marilyn Brandt (UVI)<\/li>\n
      • Nikki Traylor Knowles (UM)<\/li>\n
      • Stephanie Rosales (NOAA AOML)<\/li>\n
      • Michael Studivan (NOAA AOML)<\/li>\n
      • Kenneth Hoadley (UAlabama)<\/li>\n
      • Mark Warner (UDel)<\/li>\n
      • Carly Kenkel (USC)<\/li>\n
      • Diego Lirman (UM)<\/li>\n
      • Mark Ladd (NOAA)<\/li>\n
      • Amanda Bourque (NPS)<\/li>\n
      • Bill Sharp (FWC)<\/li>\n
      • Rebecca Vega Thurber (USB)<\/li>\n
      • Grace Klinges (UArizona)<\/li>\n
      • Maoz Fine (IUI)<\/li>\n
      • Dustin Kemp (UGA)<\/li>\n
      • Kristen Ewen (NPS)<\/li>\n
      • Evan Gwilliam (NPS)<\/li>\n
      • Laura Mydlarz (UTA)<\/li>\n
      • Robert van Woesik (FL Tech)<\/li>\n
      • Andrew Baker (UMiami)<\/li>\n
      • Cory Krediet (Eckerd)<\/li>\n
      • Keri O’Neil (The Florida Aquarium)<\/li>\n
      • Nicole Fogarty (UNCW)<\/li>\n
      • Joana Figueiredo (Nova Southeastern)<\/li>\n
      • Leneita Fix (The Reef Institute)<\/li>\n
      • David Gilliam (Nova Southeastern)<\/li>\n
      • Jennifer Sneed (The Smithsonian)<\/li>\n
      • Valerie Paul (The Smithsonian)<\/li>\n
      • Ken Nedimyer (Reef Renewal, USA)<\/li>\n
      • Margaret Miller (SECORE)<\/li>\n
      • Brian Walker (Nova Southeastern)<\/li>\n
      • Amy Apprill (WHOI)<\/li>\n
      • Katie Curtis (Ocean Alchemists)<\/li>\n
      • <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div><\/div>\n

         <\/p>\n

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