Ross Cunning Richard F. Karp Andrew C. Baker Erich Bartels Ryan Bonhag Alexandra Borreil Amanda Bourque Kristen T. Brown Andrew W. Bruckner Bryce Corbett Martine D’Alessandro Craig Dahlgren Jenna Dilworth Erick Gieger David S. Gilliam Maya Gomez Grace Hanson Cailin Harrell Dalton Hesley Lindsay K. Huebner Carly D. Kenkel Hannah R. Koch Joe Kuehl Ilsa B. Kuffner Mark C. Ladd Sophia Lee Kathryn C. Lesneski Amanda Lewan Diego Lirman Gang Liu Shayla B. Matsuda Phanor H. Montoya-Maya Jennifer Moore Erinn M. Muller Ken Nedimeyer John E. Parkinson Rob Ruzicka Jason Spadaro Blake L. Spady Jennifer Stein Joseph D. Unsworth Alexandra D. Wen Dana E. Williams Sara Williams Olivia M. Williamson Derek P. Manzello 2025 <p><span>In 2023, a record-setting marine heat wave triggered the ninth mass coral bleaching event on Florida’s Coral Reef (FCR). We examined spatial patterns of heat exposure along the ~560-kilometer length of FCR and the mortality of two ecologically important, critically endangered reef-building corals. Sea surface temperatures were ≥31°C for an average of 40.7 days, leading to heat exposures 2.2- to fourfold higher than all prior years on record. In the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas, 97.8 to 100% of the&nbsp;</span><i>Acropora palmata</i><span>&nbsp;and&nbsp;</span><i>Acropora cervicornis</i><span>&nbsp;colonies died. Mortality was lower offshore southeast Florida (37.9%), reflecting cooler temperatures in this region. Since the late 1970s, multiple stressors had already reduced the ecological relevance of&nbsp;</span><i>Acropora</i><span>&nbsp;in Florida, but the 2023 heat wave marks their functional extinction from FCR.</span></p> application/pdf 10.1126/science.adx7825 en AAAS Heat-driven functional extinction of Caribbean Acropora corals from Florida's Coral Reef article