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<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>Dear corallist members,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Since some weeks, a lot of people talk about the use of
aquariums to save the reef.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>OK, but I want to say my point of
view.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>To do my thesis experiments, I use and make in situ live coral
nubbins of branched (Acropora muricata) and semimassive (Montipora
circumvallata) corals.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>I paste and fixe them in the reef and tranfert them in all
different sites on different reefs where I want....with 100% of
survival.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>My only problem in Reunion Island is that our
reefs are too small (smaller than 500m broad), and induce a high frequentation
of people (fishermen, tourists....).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT><FONT size=2>And sometimes
(preferencially in hot seasons...and during very low tides), I could have big
losts of nubbins by human destruction (fins, or feet or excavations to catch
molluscs...). But if the nubbins are secured, no problems can
append.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>With my small experience, I think that we can use this nubbins
system to save degraded sites.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>First, the best healthly sites (where the coral growth appears
to be the highest) must be found. Then, the system of nubbins generate in some
months or years (depending on the growth rate of the cultivated species) a lot
of new coral individues in the healthly site, and after that they can be
transfered in degraded reefs.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>It can be a good and "natural"
solution to save the reef, isn't it ?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>Have a nice day.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Cheers, Michaël</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000
size=2>--<BR>
Michaël RARD<BR>Station Marine d'Endoume, Centre d'Océanologie de
Marseille<BR>
UMR CNRS 6540, Equipe DIMAR<BR><A
href="http://www.geocities.com/dipneuste/AdressePerso.htm">http://www.geocities.com/dipneuste/AdressePerso.htm</A><BR></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>