Collaboration is key to rebuilding coral reefs

Date:
August 12, 2020
Source:
University of Queensland
Summary:
The most successful and cost-effective ways to restore coral reefs
have been identified by an international group of scientists,
after analyzing restoration projects in Latin America.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
The most successful and cost-effective ways to restore coral reefs have
been identified by an international group of scientists, after analysing restoration projects in Latin America.


==========================================================================
The University of Queensland's Dr Elisa Bayraktarov led the team that investigated 12 coral reef restoration case studies in five countries.

"Coral reefs worldwide are degrading due to climate change, overfishing, pollution, coastal development, coral bleaching and diseases," Dr
Bayraktarov said.

"Coral reef restoration -- or rebuilding what we have lost -- may
become critical, especially for coral species that are threatened with extinction.

"Much of this work is led by environmental non-Government organisations (ENGOs), tourism operators, community groups, national resource management groups and governments who rarely publish their great depth of knowledge.

"So we decided to bridge the gap between academia, ENGOs and other groups
that restore coral reefs." The researchers analysed the motivations and techniques used for each project, providing estimates on total annual
project cost per unit area of reef restored, project duration and the
spatial extent of interventions.



==========================================================================
The team found the most successful projects had high coral survival rates
or an increase in coral cover, but that they also offered socioeconomic benefits for their surrounding communities.

"Projects that train local fishermen or recreational divers to participate
in restoration, or engage with dive operators or hotels to support
the maintenance of the coral nurseries, were much more effective and long-lived," Dr Bayraktarov said.

"We also found that coral reef restoration efforts in Latin American
countries and territories were cheaper than previously thought -- with
the median cost of a project around US$93,000 (~AUD$130,000) to restore
one hectare of coral reef.

A one-year-old coral"The projects also had run for much longer than
assumed, with some active for up to 17 years.

"And best of all, an analysis of all the studied projects revealed a
high likelihood of overall project success of 70 per cent." Co-author
Dr Phanor Montoya-Maya, director and founder of the Colombian-based organisation Corales de Paz, said he was excited about the project's collaborative nature.



========================================================================== "Twenty-five Latin-American coral reef restoration scientists and
practitioners from 17 institutions in five countries worked on this
research," he said.

"We wanted to showcase the efforts of Spanish-speaking countries that
depend on their local coral reefs to the global coral reef restoration community.

"And to share the diversity of objectives, techniques, tools used, and
methods to measure success in Latin America to encourage others to carry
out similar work.

"We're providing critical project information -- such as total annual
project cost per unit area of reef restored, spatial extent of restored
site and duration -- on how to best save our degraded reefs.


========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Queensland. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Elisa Bayraktarov, Anastazia T. Banaszak, Phanor Montoya Maya,
Joanie
Kleypas, Jesu's E. Arias-Gonza'lez, Macarena Blanco, Johanna Calle-
Trivin~o, Nufar Charuvi, Camilo Corte's-Useche, Victor Galva'n,
Miguel A.

Garci'a Salgado, Mariana Gnecco, Sergio D. Guendulain-Garci'a,
Edwin A.

Herna'ndez Delgado, Jose' A. Mari'n Moraga, Mari'a Fernanda
Maya, Sandra Mendoza Quiroz, Samantha Mercado Cervantes, Megan
Morikawa, Gabriela Nava, Valeria Pizarro, Rita I. Sellares-Blasco,
Samuel E. Suleima'n Ramos, Tatiana Villalobos Cubero, Mari'a
F. Villalpando, Sarah Fri'as- Torres. Coral reef restoration
efforts in Latin American countries and territories. PLOS ONE,
2020; 15 (8): e0228477 DOI: 10.1371/ journal.pone.0228477 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200812115321.htm

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