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How scientists hope to save coral reefs from extinction<\/p>\n
Scientists trying to save the reefs grow corals, preserve threatened and endangered species and build gene banks.<\/p>\n
Miami Beach, Florida, is known for its gorgeous beaches, Cuban food, and terrible traffic. Now, traffic is being used for a good cause in the city.<\/p>\n
The city of Miami Beach residents and visitors are able to see 22 life-sized concrete cars being lowered into the ocean on Oct. 27 and Oct. 28, a process that started between Oct. 20 and Oct. 21. Once completed, they will form Concrete Coral. The artwork, created by Leandro Erlich, will replicate an underwater traffic jam 20 feet below the water’s surface.<\/p>\n
This is the beginning phase of ReefLine, a “first-of-its-kind” underwater sculpture park and hybrid reef. It was founded by Ximena Caminos and developed by the nonprofit, BlueLab Preservation Society, in partnership with the City of Miami Beach, according to a news release emailed to USA TODAY.<\/p>\n
“This monumental artwork and living reef, composed of 22 life-sized cars made from marine-grade concrete, will soon rest on the ocean floor as a haunting yet hopeful metaphor for our impact on the planet,” Caminos wrote in a post on Instagram.<\/p>\n
Miami Beach aims to raise $40 million for its 11-phase project to extend the underwater sculpture park across 7 miles \u2012 the length of Miami Beach \u2012 and to plant thousands of corals, according to a press release<\/a> from the city.<\/p>\n Will people be able to visit the underwater sculpture park?<\/p>\n Yes, once the statues are in place, people will be able to swim to the sculptures, located 600 feet from the shore, to view the environmental art for free, according to Miami Beach’s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n Those wanting to see it will not need scuba gear. Visitors can bring just a snorkel mask and fins to see the sculptures better.<\/p>\n However, while work is underway, vessels and swimmers will not be allowed in the area.<\/p>\n Will more sculptures be added?<\/p>\n Yes. The city plans to add more sculptures from different artists to the sculpture park.<\/p>\n British artist Petroc Sesti\u2019s sculpture, \u201cHeart of Okeanos<\/a>,\u201d will mimic “the heart of a stranded blue whale,” according to Miami Beach’s website. Another artist, Carlos Betancourt, based in Miami, will create the \u201cMiami Reef Star<\/a>,\u201d\u00a0a large-scale trail of starfish.<\/p>\n Although work is underway, the city’s website did not state when the final 7-mile sculpture park will be completed.<\/p>\n Why was the project created?<\/p>\n The underwater artwork is “a critical long-term economic safeguard for Miami Beach,\u201d Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner said in a statement.<\/p>\n The cars, which look like concrete cars, will be seeded with 2,200 corals cultivated by REEFLINE\u2019s Miami Native Coral Lab in the next phase of the project.<\/p>\n \u201cHealthy reefs are our natural infrastructure, shielding our treasured beachfront and vital tourism revenue by powerfully reducing storm surge and erosion,” Meiner said. “This monumental, science-based project offers an innovative solution for protecting our marine ecosystems and cultural landscape.\u201d<\/p>\n Why is regrowing coral reefs so important?<\/p>\n Coral reefs worldwide are under stress for many reasons, including climate change.<\/p>\n \u201cCoral reefs are one of the most sensitive ecosystems globally to the ravages of human activities,” Gabriel Grimsditch, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) marine ecosystems expert, said in a statement<\/a>. \u201cThey are especially vulnerable to climate change and warming ocean temperatures, and mass coral bleaching and mortality events are predicted to increase in frequency and intensity as temperatures continue to rise.\u201d<\/p>\n Coral bleaching occurs when corals become stressed and expel the algae that live in their tissues, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). When this algae is expelled, the coral becomes white.<\/p>\n The bleaching doesn’t mean the coral is dead, and it can survive the event, but corals are under more stress when this happens, and they are more susceptible to dying.<\/p>\n In 2005, the United States lost half of the Caribbean’s coral reefs in just one year due to a bleaching event, and satellite data confirmed that the waters had been warmer than they were in the past 20 years.<\/p>\n Julia is a Trending reporter for USA TODAY and covers scientific studies and trending news. Connect with her on\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a>,\u00a0X<\/a>,\u00a0Instagram<\/a>, and\u00a0TikTok<\/a>: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com.<\/p>\n