#functionally extinct

The marine heat wave that gripped Florida in 2023 was hotter than anything the state has seen in 150 years, and claimed at least two victims — species of corals now marked “functionally extinct” from Florida’s reefs.

That finding comes from a newly published scientific paper that reads more like an obituary for two of the most visible and important coral species on Florida’s reefs: elkhorn and staghorn corals. In 2023, the ocean was warmer than it had ever been. When corals spend too long in hot water, they spit out the algae that live within their bodies, providing them food and shade.

…had been building reefs in Florida since the Ice Age. Since the Ice Age, elkhorn and staghorn corals off Florida’s southern coast have been stacking their skeletons into elaborate, branching homes for parrotfish, eels and octopuses. “They’ve been the most important reef builders on these reefs for 10,000 years,” said Ross Cunning, a coral biologist with Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium. But researchers are using stark, new language to describe the status of the two species in Florida: functionally extinct.“The numbers of individuals of these species that remain are now so low that they cannot perform their ecological functions in any meaningful way,” Cunning said. “This is the functional extinction of two incredibly important ecosystem engineers for coral reefs in Florida.” Cunning and a team of 46 other researchers published a grim study in the journal Science on Thursday that assesses the damage caused by a historic 2023 marine heat wave in Florida. The findings are essentially an announcement that the two coral species have disappeared there because of extreme ocean temperatures. The researchers determined that between 97.8% and 100% of these species’ colonies have died in the Florida Keys and near the Dry Tortugas islands. The findings came after divers from institutions across the state visited more than 52,000 coral colonies at nearly 400 sites.

Ginkgos survived multiple mass extinctions and now they are extinct in the wild

They live by the grace and influence of humans

And it's so so sad

They survived the extinction of their pollinators

They continue to fruit by wind pollination

“So what does functionally extinct mean? The Conversation reports it means that koala populations have declined so far that the species no longer plays a significant role in its ecosystem.

Usually I don’t do these types of posts but I feel like this is very necessary!! One of my favorite YouTubers Jacksepticeye is doing a Charity Stream on the 25th of January to raise money for Australia and if you’re interested to donate you can! Any small amount is amazing and if not, just please reblog this and spread it! Koalas are going functionally extinct and I think it’s very important to help out.

This is only one way to help, it doesn’t have to be through this charity, I think there are many other ways to help, but if you’re interested, please do! You should watch the video and please spread the message ❤️

https://tiltify.com/@jacksepticeye/jacksepticeyes-january-2020-charity-stream/donate

Here’s a link to donate to Jacksepticeye's charity stream if you’re interested. Thank you!