How to replant healthy coral reefs

How researchers are transplanting coral reefs in the Red Sea

The post How to replant healthy coral reefs appeared first on Green Prophet.

Terracotta artificial reef systems

Coral reefs are under attack. Human-made marine traffic, pollution and global warming is to blame. Some divers are playing their part by replanting kelp forests. Scientists have also found new ways to revive dying or dead coral reefs and this new study shows how:

The study introduces a method known as “a coral reef ecosystem transplant” (aCRET), where researchers transferred biomimetic terracotta (clay)  tiles embedded with a diverse community of organisms—including invertebrates and beneficial microorganisms—from a healthy reef to a nearby damaged reef.

Terracotta tiles make artificial reefs for coral reefs to regrow

Related: Econcrete brings coastal ecosystems to life

The corals from the damaged reef were then attached to these tiles. The results demonstrated notable improvements in coral health, including increased photosynthetic efficiency, higher populations of symbiotic algae, and reduced stress levels. These findings suggest that transplanting a healthy ecosystem can significantly boost coral resilience and physiological function.

The researchers designed the biomimetic terracotta tiles to replicate the complex 3D structure of natural coral reefs, providing a perfect environment for diverse organisms to thrive. After allowing the or