Coral reefs can recover after damage, say UF researchers following Cayman Islands study

Coral reefs al over the world have been under threat over recent years due to warm ocean temperatures and damage caused by fishing and tourism but scientists from the University of Florida (UF) have discovered that the delicate marine species can recover after damage.

The researchers revealed their findings after carrying out studies in the Cayman Islands, one of the Caribbean's most popular scuba diving destinations.

The studies revealed that between 1999 and 2004, warm ocean temperatures resulted in coral bleaching and infectious diseases in Little Cayman which reduced its coral by more than 40 per cent. However, 10 years later, the coral reefs have recovered from the damage and have returned to their original healthy state.

"What we showed here is that there was a warming event and they suffered, but they were able to come back," explained Chuck Jacoby, a faculty member in University of Florida's soil and water science department.

He added that the warming event researchers witnessed can be attributed to climate change.

The scientist explained that in many reef areas, the coral is subjected to global stresses, such as warming, plus local stresses, including damage from fishing, anchoring or pollution which can be caused by tourism.

Tom Frazer, a Professor of Aquatic Ecology at the University of Florida sad that the reef in Little Cayman is isolated from these local stresses which has given it an opportunity to thrive in a warmer environment, rather than be exposed to bleaching and dying which would occur if both global and local stresses were in place.

"Our findings suggest that the island's relative isolation, limited human disturbance and relatively healthy fish populations underlie the observed resiliency," commented Frazer.

The results of the study gives hope to cities and towns with struggling reefs and gives them an incentive to focus on limiting local stresses and letting the reefs thrive on their own so they can recover naturally.

"Although addressing global issues is important, you can't give up on the local ones, and you can't give up on the reefs," Jacoby added. "Local stresses are much more manageable than the global ones, and if you get rid of the local ones, the reefs can cope."

The Cayman Islands is a British Overseas Territory situated in the west Caribbean Sea and is made up of three islands: Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. The islands are a leading destination for scuba diving holidays thanks to their underwater delights including the sunken 252-foot, 2,200-ton USS Kittiwake ship and a life-size sculpture of a diver made out of bicycle frames.

The Cayman Islands offer a diverse scuba diving environment for divers of all abilities who can enjoy cave diving, wall diving, reef diving, wreck diving and simple snorkelling.

While scuba diving in the Cayman Islands, visitors can swim in crystal clear warm turquoise waters and explore an array of scuba diving sites that are thriving with marine life, such as vibrant coral and sponges, Stingrays, Green Sea Turtles, Groupers, Garden Eels, Parrot Fish and dolphins.