Coral reef rehabilitation

[Coral Health and Monitoring Program]

Forwarded message:


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From: reefprj at tm.net.my
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 1998 17:00:22 -0800
Organization: THE REEF PROJECT
Subject: Coral reef rehabilitation

Hello everyone,

My name is Wilson Alex and I am currently doing my research degree here in
Malaysia.  My research encompassing coral reef rehabilitation that focus
on the zooxanthellae that live in corals and the giant clams.  Many
(researcher) believed that the presence of giant clam in reef area
enhanced the vitality of coral larvae.  These, I suppose is true as giant
clam is a "true farmers" of the symbiotic algae and release excess of it
to the water surrounding.  Maruyama (1997) studied the number of
zooxanthellae in the feces of giant clam which he assessed contained free
living zooxanthellae.

The source of the zooxanthellae in the water surrounding may as well comes
from other cnidarians.  But I believe that this is true on pristine reef
condition.  How about degraded reef area where all supply of zooxanthellae
to the water column is cut off if you will.  So, by stocking this bivalves
in the reef area, the clam may supply these algae to that area...and who
knows, that event may bring back coral population to the degraded reef; a
new vistas in coral reef rehabilitation. Is anybody out there been doing
this research or similar to it?

I received "green light" from the University Malaysia Sabah to do this
research.  I am now attached to "The Reef Project" a center for coral reef
and giant clam rehabilitation in Sabah Malaysia.  I welcome any
comment...Thank you