{"id":247751,"date":"2026-04-27T00:34:13","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T00:34:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/247751\/"},"modified":"2026-04-27T00:34:13","modified_gmt":"2026-04-27T00:34:13","slug":"these-new-buoys-are-monitoring-vital-coral-reef-deterioration-in-florida-keys","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/247751\/","title":{"rendered":"These new buoys are monitoring vital coral reef deterioration in Florida Keys"},"content":{"rendered":"

FLORIDA KEYS, Fla. – Scientists are monitoring the impacts of ocean acidification<\/a> on vital, colorful coral reefs in the Florida Keys by using a new series of buoys.<\/p>\n

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa<\/a>) has unveiled new ocean instruments that are essential in monitoring vital reefs within the Florida<\/a> Keys National Marine Sanctuary.<\/p>\n

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A new study \u2014 which involves NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory and the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Sciences \u2014 says scientists have deployed Sofar “Spotter” buoys<\/a> at four of the seven Mission: Iconic Reef<\/a> sites identified as essential for restoration.<\/p>\n

That study reveals that there are variations in how acidification progresses across the Florida Keys<\/a>, and some sites in the Upper Keys may act as a refuge able to alleviate pH levels \u2014 potentially due to the higher abundance of seagrass beds and other deep ocean<\/a> communities.<\/p>\n

Higher pH levels in the ocean, or ocean acidification, reduces carbonate ion availability, which makes it harder for shellfish and corals to build skeletons. This can harm ecosystems<\/a> by decreasing marine life<\/a> metabolism, immune response and sensory abilities, NOAA said.<\/p>\n

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The buoys seen at the surface measure wave energy, wind<\/a> speed, sea surface temperature<\/a> and pressure. Below the surface, integrated sensors measure pH and seafloor temperature in near-real time.<\/p>\n

Ocean acidification is impacting the integrity and hard, calcium carbonate structure that comprises entire coral reefs<\/a>. A decrease in pH across marine ecosystems accelerates the erosion of reefs and decreases their ability to grow, or calcify.<\/p>\n

These threats contribute to the loss of crucial habitat that provides shelter to the highest concentration of marine biodiversity in the popular tourist destination.<\/p>\n

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The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary consists of 350 miles of the only North American barrier reef \u2014 the Florida Coral Reef<\/a> \u2014 which stretches from the Dry Tortugas to Port St. Lucie<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Dive<\/p>\n

Dive teams deploy the integrated instrument system at Horseshoe Reef in Key Largo, Florida.<\/p>\n

(FOX Weather)<\/p>\n

Roughly five million visitors travel to the Florida Keys every year, where 54% of jobs are tied directly to the marine ecosystems, according to NOAA.<\/p>\n

The project Mission: Iconic Reefs was launched in 2019 to restore seven strategically-selected reefs covering three million square feet \u2014 equivalent to 52 football fields \u2014 within the Florida Keys to self-sustaining levels over 20 years.<\/p>\n

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But as ocean acification and other environmental stressors threaten the ecosystem, the need to monitor changing ocean conditions has become more essential.<\/p>\n

NOAA said collecting and transmitting data below the surface has always been a challenge because current methodologies are often limited due to the need for heavy machinery, highly-trained personnel and large vessels. This, in turn, results in costly and time-consuming field operations.<\/p>\n

But with these new Sofar buoys, scientists<\/a> can now actively see how conditions fluctuate and monitor instrument functionality in real-time. The four reef sites getting these buoys are Carysfort, Horseshoe, Cheeca Rocks and Sombrero Reefs, NOAA said.<\/p>\n

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Scientists are integrating a Sami-pH logger at the base of each buoy, using a colorimetric system where seawater enters the device \u2014 comprised of micro pumps, injector valves and reaction cells \u2014 and undergoes a chemical reaction when exposed to reactants.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The seven Mission: Iconic Reefs (M:IR) within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS).<\/p>\n

The reaction changes the color of water and produces a pH reading, which is then automated in an online system that provides a high-resolution pH measurement<\/a> of a reef in near-real time.<\/p>\n

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“With this new system, we can detect issues when they happen, so we can ensure instrument performance and respond accordingly,” Ian Enochs, principal investigator of AOML’s Coral Program, said.<\/p>\n

\"Taylor<\/p>\n

Taylor Gill maintains sensors as the Sami pH (bottom left) logger actively measures changes in ocean pH.<\/p>\n

As hurricanes<\/a>, tropical storms<\/a> and severe weather<\/a> brush the Florida Keys, scientists will also be able to see how these storms affect coral reefs as they hit \u2014 and whether they provide relief when water temperatures are peaking or exacerbate the impacts of other stressors.<\/p>\n

How To Watch Fox Weather\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

You can explore the live Mission: Iconic Reefs environmental monitoring application by clicking here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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