Coral micro-fragmentation assays for optimizing active reef restoration efforts.

ABSTRACT: The global decline of coral reefs has driven considerable interest in active coral restoration. Despite their importance and dominance on mature reefs, relatively few coral restoration projects use slower growth forms like massive and encrusting coral species. Micro-fragmentation can increase coral cover by orders of magnitude faster than natural growth, which now allows cultivation of slow growing massive forms and shows promise and flexibility for active reef restoration. However, the major causes of variation in growth and survival of outplanted colonies remain poorly understood. Here, we report simple outplanting assays to aid in active reef restoration of slower growing species and increase the likelihood of restoration success. We used two different micro-fragmentation assays. Pyrami

SUBMITTER: Knapp ISS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9302430 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature