Tag: Coral reefs

Underwater scene of staghorn coral with sea urchins and marine vegetation in a coral reef.

Creating a sea urchin ‘baby formula’ to help save our reefs

by Brad Buck
February 18, 2026

Sea urchins are the “lawnmowers of the reefs,” a University of Florida scientist says. They tirelessly chew down the algae that would otherwise smother coral and block the sunlight reefs rely on. When they’re abundant, these spiky grazers ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: Adult Urchins, Algae, Apollo Beach, Baby Urchins, Caribbean, Casey Hudspeth, Coral Reefs, Ecosystems, Habitat, Josh Patterson, Juvenile Urchins, Lawnmowers, Microalgae, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Sea Urchins, The Florida Aquarium’s Coral Conservation And Research Center
Black sea urchins on a green and red mottled marine background.

UF scientists find good places to grow long-spined sea urchins, a starting point to restore ‘the lawn mowers of the reefs’

by Brad Buck
March 18, 2026

Scientists call long-spined sea urchins “the lawn mowers of the reefs” because they eat algae that could otherwise smother reef ecosystems and kill corals. That’s why researchers affiliated with the University of Florida Tropical Aquaculture ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: Aaron Pilnick, Caribbean, Coral Reefs, Florida Aquarium Conservation Campus, Florida Keys, Florida Sea Grant, Josh Patterson, Juvenile, Larva, Long-spined Sea Urchins, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Sea Urchins, Settlement, Substrate, Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory
Two sea urchins with dense spines on a rocky underwater surface.

UF research shows a step toward restoring sea urchins: ‘The lawnmowers of reefs’

by Brad Buck
April 1, 2026

Coral reef ecosystems are severely threatened by pollution, disease, overharvesting and other factors. For thousands of years, long-spined sea urchins helped keep reefs intact. They eat seaweed, which can kill or seriously damage coral. Without ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: Coral Reefs, Ecosystem, Fish, Florida Aquarium, Josh Patterson, Long-spined Sea Urchins, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Sea Urchins, Seaweed, Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory

UF-led research gets help from NFL player and an Air Force veteran to restock sea urchins on coral reef

by Brad Buck
March 30, 2026

On and off over the past four decades, scientists have tried a handful of times to restore sea urchins on coral reefs because they eat harmful algae that otherwise smother the ecosystems. Results of a new collaborative study show promise ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: Aaron Pilnick, Air Force Veteran, Algae, Apollo Beach, Caribbean, College Of Agricultural And Life Sciences, Coral Reefs, Diadema, Florida Aquarium, Force Blue Team, Frost Museum Of Science, Key Biscayne, NFL, Rainbow Reef, Restocking, Restoration, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Sea Urchins, Survival
Row of clear tanks with pipes in a laboratory setting.

UF-led research gets help from NFL player and an Air Force veteran to restock sea urchins on coral reef

by Brad Buck
March 30, 2026

On and off over the past four decades, scientists have tried a handful of times to restore sea urchins on coral reefs because they eat harmful algae that otherwise smother the ecosystems. Results of a new collaborative study show promise ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: Aaron Pilnick, Air Force Veteran, Algae, Apollo Beach, Caribbean, College Of Agricultural And Life Sciences, Coral Reefs, Diadema, Florida Aquarium, Force Blue Team, Frost Museum Of Science, Key Biscayne, NFL, Rainbow Reef, Restocking, Restoration, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Sea Urchins, Survival
Close-up of sea urchins on a green and pink mottled surface.

UF/IFAS, The Florida Aquarium collaborate to revitalize coral reefs, marine habitats

by Brad Buck
December 16, 2025

Coral reefs serve as habitats for fish, increase tourism activities and reduce wave energy – among their many benefits. That’s why scientists with the University of Florida and The Florida Aquarium’s Coral Conservation and Research ... READ MORE

Category: Coasts & Marine
Tags: Broodstrock, Coral, Coral Reefs, Fish, Florida Keys, Florida Sea Grant, Habitats, Josh Patterson, Partnership, Reproduction, Restoration Aquaculture, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Scuba, Sea Urchins, The Florida Aquarium, The Florida Aquarium’s Coral Conservation And Research Center, Tourism
Sunrise and ocean tide at Washington Oaks State Park.

Xeniid soft corals: the latest news

by Ana Zangroniz
August 1, 2024

What has happened: There have been new developments with the Xeniid soft coral invasion in the Caribbean. The inspiration for my February 2023 original blog post was the confirmation of Unomia stolonifera in northern Cuba, which is quite ... READ MORE

Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources
Tags: Citizen Science, Coastal, Coral Reefs, Florida Sea Grant, Invasive Species, Marine, Natural Resources, Pulse Corals, Soft Coral, Unomia, Xeniids

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