Coral Reef Farmer

Erich Bartels has an unusual garden in the Florida Keys.Thousands of brown, spiny branches hang from wires. To see them, you’d need to take a swim. Bartels grows corals underwater.

Corals look like plants, but they’re actually tiny animals that live in clusters. Their hard skeletons form reefs, which provide food and shelter for many ocean animals.

Erich Bartels has an unusual garden. It’s in the Florida Keys. The garden has thousands of brown, spiny branches. They hang from wires. You can see them only if you swim. Bartels grows corals underwater.

Corals look like plants. But they’re actually tiny animals. They live in clusters. Their hard skeletons form reefs. Reefs provide food and shelter for many ocean animals. 

The Florida Keys have one of the biggest reefs in the United States. It spans almost 360 miles. But like other reefs worldwide, Florida’s coral is in danger. Oceans are becoming warmer and more acidic. These threats, along with local ones such as overfishing and pollution, are causing reefs to decline. This affects the organisms that rely on coral too.

Scientists like Bartels grow coral in labs and underwater farms. Bartels focuses on a species called staghorn coral at his lab. First, he gathers small pieces of wild coral. He tests to see if it would grow well in the conditions in the reef that needs to be restored. If it would, it goes in the garden.

When the pieces are big enough, Bartels plants them closely together in clusters on a reef.

The Florida Keys have one of the biggest reefs in the United States. It spans almost 360 miles. But Florida’s coral is in danger. Other coral worldwide is too. Oceans are becoming warmer. They are also becoming more acidic. Overfishing and pollution take a toll as well. This affects the organisms that rely on coral too.

Scientists like Bartels grow coral in labs. They also grow coral in underwater farms. Bartels focuses on a species called staghorn coral. First, he gathers small pieces of wild coral. He tests to see if the coral would grow well in the reef that needs to be restored. If it would, it goes in the garden.

When the pieces are big enough, Bartels plants them closely together in clusters on a reef. 

Over time, the scientists have seen some positive results. But they also saw setbacks. In 2017, Hurricane Irma wiped out nearly all the coral in a cluster of islands called the Lower Keys. “We were really crushed,” says Bartels.

Yet the scientists continued their work. Today, the coral farm is nearly back to where it was before the hurricane. Bartels is glad. But his work isn’t over.

“Coral is not appreciated enough,” he says. It’s necessary for a healthy ocean. “All the beautiful and colorful fish you see in the ocean wouldn’t exist without coral,” he says. “It’s exciting work.”

Over time, the scientists have seen positive results. But they have also seen setbacks. In 2017, Hurricane Irma hit. It wiped out nearly all the coral in a cluster of islands called the Lower Keys. “We were really crushed,” says Bartels.

Yet the scientists didn’t give up. Today, the coral farm is nearly back to where it was before the hurricane. Bartels is glad. But his work isn’t over.

“More people need to appreciate coral,” he says. It’s necessary for a healthy ocean. “All the colorful fish wouldn’t exist without coral,” he says. “It’s exciting work.”

STEP 1: On a sheet of grid paper, draw a rectangle that is 16 unit squares wide and 20 unit squares long.

STEP 2: Divide your rectangle into 2 equal rows. Number the rows 1 and 2.   

STEP 3: For row 1, “plant” a coral cluster in a 2-unit-by-2-unit square in the left-hand corner. Use your pencil to shade in the cluster—1 unit square represents 1 coral planting.

STEP 4: Move to the right 1 unit square. Then plant another 2-unit-by-2-unit cluster. Continue planting in this pattern until row 1 is filled. Leave a unit square of space between each cluster to make sure your plantings are evenly spaced.

STEP 5: For row 2, plant coral clusters in any arrangement youʼd like. Just make sure your arrangements are evenly spaced and all the same size.

STEP 1: On a sheet of grid paper, draw a rectangle that is 16 unit squares wide and 20 unit squares long.

STEP 2: Divide your rectangle into 2 equal rows. Number the rows 1 and 2.   

STEP 3: For row 1, “plant” a coral cluster in a 2-unit-by-2-unit square in the left-hand corner. Use your pencil to shade in the cluster—1 unit square represents 1 coral planting.

STEP 4: Move to the right 1 unit square. Then plant another 2-unit-by-2-unit cluster. Continue planting in this pattern until row 1 is filled. Leave a unit square of space between each cluster to make sure your plantings are evenly spaced.

STEP 5: For row 2, plant coral clusters in any arrangement youʼd like. Just make sure your arrangements are evenly spaced and all the same size.

1. How many coral clusters did you plant in row 1? What is the area of each cluster? Write and solve an equation for the total area of coral clusters in row 1.

2. How many coral clusters did you plant in row 2? How was your arrangement different from row 1? Did you plant more or fewer clusters? 

3. How does the amount of space you leave between clusters affect the number of clusters you can plant in a row?

1. How many coral clusters did you plant in row 1? What is the area of each cluster? Write and solve an equation for the total area of coral clusters in row 1.

2. How many coral clusters did you plant in row 2? How was your arrangement different from row 1? Did you plant more or fewer clusters? 

3. How does the amount of space you leave between clusters affect the number of clusters you can plant in a row?