[Coral-List] severity of the current reef crisis

[Kaufman, Leslie]

Good on ya, Terry!  Bad on all of us.

As part and parcel of climate impacts on reefs, we need to reimagine what we mean by coral reef “restoration”, as many already have.

The task before us is reef species survival, not the restoration of coral reef ecosystems in toto- only they themselves can do that to scale.  Still possible in-water goals WHILE REVERSING GHG EMISSIONS include:

1- bearing witness, carefully and thoroughly documenting and seeking to understand causal relationships in reef community response to mass coral mortality.

2- experimental study of coral reef community repair, resilience, and reassembly utilizing reef restoration methods as treatment effects.

3- where possible, establish and maintain population beachheads in the wild in accordance with a metapopulation plan: ie, a rational place for aggressive restoration to maintain very local ecosystem services, and accelerate selection for a climate-resilient population genetics (assisted evolution). 

4- closely consider what is feasible and sustainable as a final hedge against critical impending extinctions…and do it.

Coral reefs are likely to become rare and ephemeral…for a while.  None of this is surprising; only shocking. Let’s see what good we can do for ourselves by leaning into the new reality.

Some reef restoration programs are already thinking and acting this way, in a science-based and reality-infused manner. Who are they?

Les