Reviving the Reef: Methods for Coral Reef Restoration

By Em Gao

A coral reef is composed of hundreds to thousands of corals, each of which is made up of hundreds to thousands of individual polyps, living organisms that are similar to jellyfish and anemone. Thousands of different species live within coral reefs, rendering them to be an integral part of the marine ecosystem. In addition, not only are they important for biodiversity, coral reefs are a large part of many coastal communities as well, providing food, protection and in some cases, income. 

Within the last 30 years, over 50% of the world’s coral reefs have been lost, and it’s predicted that 90% of the remaining coral reefs will die in the next century. The explanation behind this alarming phenomenon lies in many different factors including but not limited to changing water temperatures, ocean acidification, pollution, and invasive species. Solving many of the root problems requires long-term plans during which corals could most certainly become extinct. 

Currently, however, the constant threats means that coral reefs are not able to restore themselves naturally, making it necessary for human intervention. Active coral reef restoration refers to methods of restoring coral reefs to its previous state of health and self-sufficiency that involves directly investing time, energy and resources into restoring coral reef health,

Restoration can take on many different forms, one of which is often referred to as coral gardening. Healthy fragments of corals are collected and grown in nurseries and then reattached back to reefs with various materials such as glue, ties, cement, and nails. Some organizations are also experimenting with the breeding and selection of coral species that are more suited to the current environmental conditions. This is a very popular and successful method but requires a lot of resources and time. 

There are also other methods of coral restoration quite similar to coral gardening. For example, another method involves moving healthy coral fragments from a healthy donor reef to a recipient reef. A scaled up version of this method is called aquaculture which is the production of large amounts of coral in tanks online. Coral fragments are brought to a facility for reproduction and the spawn are put on specially designed surfaces that are later deployed onto reefs. 

In areas where a coral reef has been reduced to rubble or sand, it is difficult, if not impossible for the reef to naturally restore. In such cases, artificial reefs are constructed to provide a temporary starting point and habitat for corals to grow on. 

There are numerous other methods of coral reef restoration that scientists and conservationists use around the world. Coral reef restoration is still in its early stages, and efforts are usually costly and carried out on a small scale. Although this process has had promising results, the root causes of the decline in coral reefs must be addressed before it is possible to save coral reefs. 

Works Cited

“NOAA Confirms 4th Global Coral Bleaching Event.” National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 15 Apr. 2024, www.noaa.gov/news-release/noaa-confirms-4th-global-coral-bleaching-event. 

“Coral Polyps.” Coral Reef Alliance, 23 Jan. 2024, coral.org/en/coral-reefs-101/coral-polyps/.

“What Is a Coral Reef?” NASA, NASA, 16 Oct. 2024, www.nasa.gov/general/what-is-a-coral-reef/#hds-sidebar-nav-7. 

“Secore International: Why Coral Reefs Need Our Help.” SECORE, www.secore.org/site/corals/detail/why-coral-reefs-need-our-help.23.html#:~:text=As%20a%20result%2C%20over%2050,bleaching%20event%20in%202015%2F16. 

“What Is Reef Restoration?” Great Barrier Reef Foundation, 20 Feb. 2023, www.barrierreef.org/news/explainers/what-is-reef-restoration. 

Fisheries, NOAA. “Restoring Coral Reefs.” NOAA, 27 Sept. 2021, www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/habitat-conservation/restoring-coral-reefs#a-plan-to-save-coral-reefs. 

Chad. “Introduction to Coral Restoration.” New Heaven Reef Conservation Program, newheavenreefconservation.org/learning-resources/explore-topics/reef-restoration-methods