Study results suggest this was the worst cold-related coral
mortality on record. Before (top) and after (bottom) photos
illustrate the January 2010 cold-water event's damaging effect
on patch reef coral communities in the Florida Keys. Florida’s
nearshore coral reefs are an important component of the greater
Florida reef tract and home to a variety of marine species.
These patch reef communities thrive in shallow waters near the
Florida Keys and have demonstrated resilience to environmental
stressors, including disease and temperature fluctuations. While
widespread coral bleaching and mortality are commonly associated
with warm-water disturbances, an extreme cold-weather event
revealed these tropical species are also vulnerable to prolonged
cold-water exposure. In January 2010, an intrusion of Arctic air
across the southeastern United States and Gulf of Mexico caused
one of the coldest 12-day periods on record in the Florida Keys.
This historic event caused water temperatures in shallow,
nearshore areas to dr