The Reef Resilience Network, Florida Sea Grant, and the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program are co-chairing Innovations in Coral Disturbance Preparedness and Response (session #29) at the International Coral Reef Symposium (ICRS) in Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand, July 19 – 24, 2026.
If you are working on intervention techniques, preparedness planning, and strategies that link immediate response with long-term recovery to coral reef disturbances, we’d love to see your work represented in our session.
Session Details
Coral reef disturbances, including major coral disease outbreaks, thermal stress events, invasive or nuisance species, major storm events, and anthropogenic activities such as large-scale dredging and vessel groundings are significant occurrences that can have acute, widespread impacts on coral reef ecosystems. When disturbances occur at the same time, the impacts can be exacerbated. Coral disease, for example, can decimate coral populations rapidly, especially when these corals have been weakened by thermal stress from marine heatwaves. Invasive or nuisance species, like the invasive soft corals blanketing reefs in both the Pacific and Caribbean basins, can disrupt coral reef ecosystems as they outcompete and smother native coral species. Proactive planning is critical to enhance the ability of coral managers and practitioners to effectively prepare for and respond to these events, helping them to mitigate the often synergistic impacts of coral disturbances.
Key topics will include components of preparedness planning, innovations in intervention options for different disturbance events (bleaching, disease, invasives, storms, dredging, vessel groundings), and strategies for integrating longer-term recovery needs into ongoing restoration activities.
The expected audience is coral managers, practitioners, and researchers that play a role in responding to major disturbance events and lead efforts to develop and implement innovative intervention techniques and technologies.
How to Submit an Abstract
Abstracts are due December 1, 2025. Log in to the abstract submission portal and search for 8. 29: Innovations in Coral Disturbance Preparedness and Response or refer to the ICRS call for abstracts.
