Staghorn coral, Acropora cervicornis, is a threatened species and the primary focus of western Atlantic reef-restoration efforts to date. As part of the USGS Coral Reef Ecosystems Studies project (http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/crest/), scientists investigated skeletal characteristics of nursery-grown staghorn coral reared using two commonly used grow-out methods at Mote Tropical Research Laboratory’s offshore nursery. USGS staff compared linear extension, calcification rate, and skeletal density of nursery-raised A. cervicornis branches reared for six months either on blocks attached to substratum or hanging from monofilament line (on PVC “trees”) in the water column. The results demonstrated that branches grown on the substratum had significantly higher skeletal density, measured using computerized tomography (CT), and lower linear extension rates compared to water-column fragments. Calcification rates determined with buoyant weighing were not statistically different between the two grow-out methods, but did vary among coral genotypes. Whereas skeletal density and extension rates were plastic traits that depended on environment, the calcification rate was conserved. Results show that the two rearing methods generate the same amount of calcium-carbonate skeleton but produce colonies with different skeletal characteristics, and suggest that genetically based variability in coral-calcification performance exists. The data resulting from this experiment are provided in this data release and are interpreted in Kuffner et al. (2017).

Six replicate fragments from each of twelve A. cervicornis genotypes from the University of Miami (UM) and twelve genotypes from the Nova Southeastern University (NSU) nurseries were collected and brought to the Experimental Reef Lab (ERL). At ERL, the growth rates of all the fragments were assessed using buoyant weight. For the UM genotypes, the maximum photosynthetic yield of the algal symbionts (Fv/Fm) was additionally measured.

The USGS Coral Reef Ecosystems Studies project (https://coastal.er.usgs.gov/crest/) provides science that helps resource managers tasked with the stewardship of coral reef resources. This data release contains data on coral-growth rates and time-series photographs taken of colonies of the elkhorn coral, Acropora palmata, grown at five sites on the Florida Keys reef tract from Spring 2018 to Autumn 2019. The data will be used to inform resource managers of the capacity for restoration and growth of this threatened species of coral along 350 kilometers of the Florida reef tract to aid species recovery throughout the western Atlantic. The datasets included here were interpreted in Kuffner and others (2020). Kuffner, I.B., Stathakopoulos, A., Toth, L.T., and Bartlett, L.A. In press. Reestablishing a stepping-stone population of the threatened coral, Acropora palmata, to aid regional recovery. Endangered Species Research.

The USGS Coral Reef Ecosystems Studies project (https://coastal.er.usgs.gov/crest/) provides science that helps resource managers tasked with the stewardship of coral reef resources. This data release contains data on coral-growth rates and time-series photographs taken of colonies of the elkhorn coral, Acropora palmata, grown at five sites on the Florida Keys reef tract from Spring 2018 to Autumn 2019. The data will be used to inform resource managers of the capacity for restoration and growth of this threatened species of coral along 350 kilometers of the Florida reef tract to aid species recovery throughout the western Atlantic. The datasets included here were interpreted in Kuffner and others (2020). Kuffner, I.B., Stathakopoulos, A., Toth, L.T., and Bartlett, L.A. In press. Reestablishing a stepping-stone population of the threatened coral, Acropora palmata, to aid regional recovery. Endangered Species Research.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Coral Reef Ecosystems Studies (CREST) project (https://coastal.er.usgs.gov/crest/) provides science that helps Department of Interior and other resource managers tasked with the stewardship of coral reef resources. This data release contains data on coral physiology of the elkhorn coral, Acropora palmata, grown at five sites along the Florida outer reef tract including in Biscayne National Park, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, and Dry Tortugas National Park, from summer 2017 to autumn 2020. The data will be used to inform resource managers of the capacity for restoration and growth of this important, habitat-forming species of coral within U.S. waters. Some datasets included here were interpreted in Chapron and others (2023b). Chapron, L., Kuffner, I.B., Kemp, D.W., Hulver, A.M., Keister, E.F., Stathakopoulos, A., Bartlett, L.A., Lyons, E.O., and Grottoli, A.G., 2023, Heterotrophy, microbiome, and location effects on restoration efficacy of the threatened coral Acropora palmata: Communications Earth and Environment, vol. 4, art. 233, https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-023-00888-1.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Coral Reef Ecosystems Studies (CREST) project (https://coastal.er.usgs.gov/crest/) provides science that helps Department of Interior and other resource managers tasked with the stewardship of coral reef resources. This data release contains data on coral physiology of the elkhorn coral, Acropora palmata, grown at five sites along the Florida outer reef tract including in Biscayne National Park, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, and Dry Tortugas National Park, from summer 2017 to autumn 2020. The data will be used to inform resource managers of the capacity for restoration and growth of this important, habitat-forming species of coral within U.S. waters. Some datasets included here were interpreted in Chapron and others (2023b). Chapron, L., Kuffner, I.B., Kemp, D.W., Hulver, A.M., Keister, E.F., Stathakopoulos, A., Bartlett, L.A., Lyons, E.O., and Grottoli, A.G., 2023, Heterotrophy, microbiome, and location effects on restoration efficacy of the threatened coral Acropora palmata: Communications Earth and Environment, vol. 4, art. 233, https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-023-00888-1.

The USGS Coral Reef Ecosystems Studies project (https://coastal.er.usgs.gov/crest/) provides science that helps resource managers tasked with the stewardship of coral reef resources. This data release contains data on coral-growth rates for Orbicella sp. coral colonies grown at five sites on the Florida Keys reef tract from 2013 to 2015, survey data for census-based carbonate budgeting at Hen and Chickens Reef (Islamorada, Florida) collected in 2017, and time-series photographs taken of permanent markers used to measure reef erosion at Hen and Chickens Reef in 1998 and 2015. The time-series photographs document a loss in coral-reef elevation over 17 years at this site. The data will be used to inform resource managers of the capacity for future growth (or loss) of reefs dominated by genus Orbicella in the Florida Keys so that the reef ecosystem might be better understood and managed. The datasets included here were interpreted in Kuffner and others (2019). Kuffner, I.B., Toth, L.T., Hudson, J.H., Goodwin, W.B., Stathakopoulos, A., Bartlett, L.A. and Whitcher, E.M. (2019), Improving estimates of coral reef construction and erosion with in situ measurements. Limnol Oceanogr. doi:10.1002/lno.11184

The USGS Coral Reef Ecosystems Studies project (https://coastal.er.usgs.gov/crest/) provides science that helps resource managers tasked with the stewardship of coral reef resources. This data release contains data on coral-growth rates for Orbicella sp. coral colonies grown at five sites on the Florida Keys reef tract from 2013 to 2015, survey data for census-based carbonate budgeting at Hen and Chickens Reef (Islamorada, Florida) collected in 2017, and time-series photographs taken of permanent markers used to measure reef erosion at Hen and Chickens Reef in 1998 and 2015. The time-series photographs document a loss in coral-reef elevation over 17 years at this site. The data will be used to inform resource managers of the capacity for future growth (or loss) of reefs dominated by genus Orbicella in the Florida Keys so that the reef ecosystem might be better understood and managed. The datasets included here were interpreted in Kuffner and others (2019). Kuffner, I.B., Toth, L.T., Hudson, J.H., Goodwin, W.B., Stathakopoulos, A., Bartlett, L.A. and Whitcher, E.M. (2019), Improving estimates of coral reef construction and erosion with in situ measurements. Limnol Oceanogr. doi:10.1002/lno.11184

To maximize long term (>10yr) survival of nursery raised Acropora cervicornis corals, a map based tool was created that ranks locations in the Florida Acropora Critical Habitat based on climate vulnerability. Climate vulnerability is defined both in terms of exposure to future heat stress and the coral's sensitivity as resilience. Suitable sites are determined by a number of factors, suitable sites must be within the Acropora critical habitat and within the depth range 5-15m, with either hard bottom or coral present. Those possible locations are ranked based on projected climate change impacts and a resilience metric based on seven different indicators: coral cover, macroalgae cover, bleaching resistance, coral diversity, coral disease, herbivore biomass, and temperature variability. The data is presented as a Google Earth tool (zipped), maps, gridded netCDF files and are accompanied by a guidance document and a .csv file ranking all locations. The Google Earth tool contains five major layers: depth, turbidity, resilience, year of annual severe bleaching, and outplanting score. Bleaching projections included here use climate model data from 2006-2099.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Coral Reef Ecosystems Studies (CREST) project (https://coastal.er.usgs.gov/crest/) provides science that helps Department of Interior and other resource managers tasked with the stewardship of coral reef resources. This data release contains data on coral-growth rates and time-series photographs taken of colonies of the elkhorn coral, Acropora palmata, and the symmetrical brain coral, Pseudodiploria strigosa, grown at three sites at Buck Island Reef National Monument in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands from June 2019 to August 2021. The data will be used to inform resource managers of the capacity for restoration and growth of these habitat-forming species of coral within National Park (and Virgin Islands territory) waters.