Coral reefs of the Florida Keys experienced the hottest summer on record in 2023, causing mass bleaching and mortality of scleractinian corals. Sea surface temperatures remained above 31°C for 41 days, exceeding all prior records for the region. Branching corals fared especially poorly, especially Acropora palmata , which has now been deemed functionally extinct across the entire Florida Reef Tract. High temperatures and prolo...

Healthy coral communities can be found on artificial structures (concrete walls and riprap) within the Port of Miami (PoM), Florida. These communities feature an unusually high abundance of brain corals, which have almost entirely vanished from nearby offshore reefs. These corals appear to be thriving in very low-quality waters influenced by dense ship and boat traffic, dredging, and numerous residential and industrial develop...