[Coral-List] Reef Regeneration

[John McManus]

Hi Amy,

One important consideration is scale. The average true coral reef is on the
order of 1 sq km, or 1 million sq m. A million dollars can support
developing and implementing an effective, participatory management plan for
many such natural reefs, potentially leading to vastly improved coral
settlement (via reduction of algae, etc.). Applying that same amount of
money to support replanting corals or building artificial reefs, I would be
surprised if you could cover an area reasonably well equal to 1/10th of an
average natural reef. And, you will still need the effective management plan
to ensure proper protection of what has been done from algal overgrowth and
other abuse. 

I would deal with planting corals only after an effective management plan
has been in place for a few years, and it becomes clear that no corals are
settling on their own accord.

Cheers!


John
 
____________________________________
 *** Please note new phone numbers (361 now 421) ***
 
John W. McManus, PhD.
Professor, Marine Biology and Fisheries
Director, National Center for Caribbean Coral Reef Research (NCORE)
Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science
4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL, 33149
305-421-4814, 305-421-4820,       Fax: 305-421-4910
www.ncoremiami.org
jmcmanus at rsmas.miami.edu
 
"If I cannot build it, I do not understand it." -- Richard P. Feynman, Nobel
Laureate 

-----Original Message-----
From: coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
[mailto:coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov] On Behalf Of Amy Ridgeway
Sent: Wednesday, September 28, 2005 10:35 AM
To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
Subject: [Coral-List] Reef Regeneration

I am currently looking into the different methods currently being employed
to manipulate coral recruitment via the enhancement of coral settlement or
the enhancement of herbivorous fish stocks and attempts being made to
reverse phase shift around the world.

I have already been made aware of several systems of artificial reef
(ReefBall, EcoReefs, Biorock) and also a couple of other projects around the
world looking to address the issue of regeneration in different ways e.g.
through increases in larval seeding or environmental clean-ups. I would be
most grateful if anyone were able to assist me in my research by either
informing me of other specific case studies or systems that they were aware
of, or even better actively involved with.

Many thanks

Amy Ridgeway
Science Intern

Coral Cay Conservation Ltd

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