Introduction to R2R

tbrown

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Welcome! I think it's cool that you guys do coral adoptions!
 

Sippiku

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Welcome to R2R and thank you for your dedication to enriching the minds of our younger generations!
 

Patrick Lyles

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Welcome to r2r. Looking forward to learning more about your wonderful work
 

Matt79

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Welcome to Reef2Reef & thank you for your hard work
Hard Work GIF by memecandy
 

tatorswife

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Welcome to R2R!!! Awesome information on your site!! You guys do awesome work!! Welcome again
 

iliketheletterb

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Welcome. Thank you for your conservation efforts and education you are providing to our future generations.
 

reefrun

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You’re doing such important work! Thank you for saving the reefs do my son can enjoy them when he grows up!
 

mfollen

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Welcome to R2R, thank you for your work and educating the community. Looking forward to your updates
 

rbourgeois64

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Hello R2R community,

We would love to introduce ourselves to this wonderful community.

We are the Reef Institute and our mission is coral conservation through education, research and restoration. We are a small organization on a large mission to save the ocean.


A Little About Our Mission:

Scientists estimate that 50 -80% of all of the oxygen we breath comes from photosynthetic algae in the ocean. Much of this is produced specifically by the zooxanthellae algae living in the tissues of coral. No matter where you live in the world coral, affects your livelihood. For those of us on the Atlantic coast of the United States, our coastlines are directly effected by our coral reefs. The Florida Reef Tract is 365 miles long, running from Dry Tortugas National Park off the coast of the Key West, north to Martin County. As the only barrier reef along the coast of the continental US it creates not only a habitat for literally millions of animals, but a wall of protection from waves and storm surge. It is estimated that this track breaks into patch reefs, and then deep sea reefs up to the northern US. Unfortunately, our coral is suffering greatly. As one scientist once said, “We don’t even know the full extent that coral protects us and the rest of the ocean.”

This is why the Reef Institute sees the importance of protecting our coast, along with educating the next generation on how to best care for the fragile reefs is vital.

133361560_1803376016492449_4286047202688724662_n.jpg
118407194_1686086738221378_5340083943682777303_o.jpg





Our Research:

On the research side, we are a part of the Florida Coral Rescue Project. Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease, was first discovered in 2014 and along with other environmental factors, has caused Florida coral reefs to decline to only a 3- 5% survival rate. We are the first holding facility to be given corals that have intentionally survived this disease zone. Our organization is also the only non zoo, museum or university to be part of this prestigious project. Additionally we are the only holding facility for Favia fragum, and are holding one of the largest single colonies currently rescued. Our other research projects include work with artificial reefs, and a large coral monitoring project in Palm Beach County, Florida

rescued coral1.jpg
rescued coral2.jpg
rescued coral3.jpg
rescued coral4.jpg
rescued coral5.jpg
126487150_1769787903184594_465237275312891248_o.jpg




Our Focus on Education:

For us, our research and education walk hand in hand. Educating the next generation on how to best care for the fragile reefs is vital. We offer many opportunities from outdoor classrooms to distance learning online. Working with the classroom teachers, we reinforce science concepts as students discuss marine science, and see live animals while we facilitate lessons.

69616207_1354739938022728_8993670902327541760_o.jpg
133295084_1802596419903742_1150237769114139721_o.jpg




We would love for you to check out our website! We are excited to get to know hobbyists! Our board members, Executive Director, marine scientists and marine veterinarian will be on Reef2Reef to interact, learn, and help in any way we can. Some of our staff and board members are active hobbyist and are members to R2R community also. We are grateful for this community and can’t wait to get to know you! We are looking to offer some free virtual education to help you see our coral, and get to know us for both adults and kids very so
 

rbourgeois64

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Hello R2R community,

We would love to introduce ourselves to this wonderful community.

We are the Reef Institute and our mission is coral conservation through education, research and restoration. We are a small organization on a large mission to save the ocean.


A Little About Our Mission:

Scientists estimate that 50 -80% of all of the oxygen we breath comes from photosynthetic algae in the ocean. Much of this is produced specifically by the zooxanthellae algae living in the tissues of coral. No matter where you live in the world coral, affects your livelihood. For those of us on the Atlantic coast of the United States, our coastlines are directly effected by our coral reefs. The Florida Reef Tract is 365 miles long, running from Dry Tortugas National Park off the coast of the Key West, north to Martin County. As the only barrier reef along the coast of the continental US it creates not only a habitat for literally millions of animals, but a wall of protection from waves and storm surge. It is estimated that this track breaks into patch reefs, and then deep sea reefs up to the northern US. Unfortunately, our coral is suffering greatly. As one scientist once said, “We don’t even know the full extent that coral protects us and the rest of the ocean.”

This is why the Reef Institute sees the importance of protecting our coast, along with educating the next generation on how to best care for the fragile reefs is vital.

133361560_1803376016492449_4286047202688724662_n.jpg
118407194_1686086738221378_5340083943682777303_o.jpg





Our Research:

On the research side, we are a part of the Florida Coral Rescue Project. Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease, was first discovered in 2014 and along with other environmental factors, has caused Florida coral reefs to decline to only a 3- 5% survival rate. We are the first holding facility to be given corals that have intentionally survived this disease zone. Our organization is also the only non zoo, museum or university to be part of this prestigious project. Additionally we are the only holding facility for Favia fragum, and are holding one of the largest single colonies currently rescued. Our other research projects include work with artificial reefs, and a large coral monitoring project in Palm Beach County, Florida

rescued coral1.jpg
rescued coral2.jpg
rescued coral3.jpg
rescued coral4.jpg
rescued coral5.jpg
126487150_1769787903184594_465237275312891248_o.jpg




Our Focus on Education:

For us, our research and education walk hand in hand. Educating the next generation on how to best care for the fragile reefs is vital. We offer many opportunities from outdoor classrooms to distance learning online. Working with the classroom teachers, we reinforce science concepts as students discuss marine science, and see live animals while we facilitate lessons.

69616207_1354739938022728_8993670902327541760_o.jpg
133295084_1802596419903742_1150237769114139721_o.jpg




We would love for you to check out our website! We are excited to get to know hobbyists! Our board members, Executive Director, marine scientists and marine veterinarian will be on Reef2Reef to interact, learn, and help in any way we can. Some of our staff and board members are active hobbyist and are members to R2R community also. We are grateful for this community and can’t wait to get to know you! We are looking to offer some free virtual education to help you see our coral, and get to know us for both adults and kids very soon!
 

TN_Huskymama

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Welcome to R2R! Great work on the education you are providing not only to adults but school age kids as well! It seems that most marine education in schools is only taught in schools close to a beach, but I am sure reaching out to kids in non-beach areas will be very interested as well!
 

smiilez33

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Welcome to R2R!! Welcome to R2R.,,thank you for all education on our reefs and efforts to save them !!!!
 
OP
OP
The Reef Institute

The Reef Institute

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Welcome to R2R! Could you tell us some more about the "Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease" which is destroying the Florida corals? It sounds like something we generally refer to here as STN (Slow Tissue Necrosis). It seems to happen when something in our tanks goes out of wack and seems to be linked to a bacterial imbalance.

Have you isolated the cause in Florida? Could it be rising ocean temperature, pollution due to runoff, or something purely natural?
SCTLD is a pathology that a bunch of scientists and marine biologists are working tirelessly to identify the cause of. We know certain antibiotics can stop it (at least temporarily) but the agent is unidentified and likely complex and a coinfection. Underlying human causes are likely involved but again, we can't say for certain. Currently we are seed banking and just recently exploring reproducing susceptible with resilient lineages and amplification of resistant lineages as a workaround.
 
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