This subject has import to our Santa Barbara Channel and its population of
large aging oil platforms… SJ
Artificial reefs - time is not enough
https://www.hakaimagazine.com/news/for-artificial-coral-reefs-time-is-not-enough/?omhide=true&utm_source=Hakai+Magazine+Weekly&utm_campaign=6f9338e0d1-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_09_06_COPY_03&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0fc1967411-6f9338e0d1-121686094
Researchers hoped that, given long enough, artificial coral reefs would grow to
match natural reefs. But an examination of a 200-year-old artificial coral reef
shows that’s not necessarily the case.
by James Urquhart <https://www.hakaimagazine.com/profiles/james-urquhart/>
August 4, 2021 | 600 words, about 3 minutes
he coral diversity of a 200-year-old artificial reef that lies beneath the
tropical coastal waters of Sint Eustatius, in the eastern Caribbean. The reef
comprises stone ruins of an 18th-century jetty and 19th-century breakwater
that, by 1834, had been washed into the sea by hurricanes. It is the oldest
artificial reef that has ever been studied, the researchers say.
Comparing the artificial reef with a nearby natural reef, the team discovered
that the artificial reef was dominated by different coral species, had fewer
species, and had less species interactions. The finding corroborates previous
studies that have compared artificial and natural reefs. But, given the age of
the reef, Hill was surprised. “I expected the cover and abundance to be higher
due to the structure being so ancient, and thus having had sufficient time for
a mature community to establish,” she says.
—
he importance of other variables, such as local environmental conditions and
the structure of the surface underlying the reef, for encouraging coral
diversity. Hill found that the natural reef had more of the crevices and
overhangs that usually help corals to colonize and grow, which could explain
the difference in biodiversity.
----
“There is a need for interventions on artificial structures,” Huang says, “such
as assisted evolution and improved restoration techniques that could accelerate
the recruitment and growth of corals and other reef organisms.”
Even so, Hill highlights that although the Sint Eustatius artificial reef
comprised different species than the nearby natural reef, it still hosted a
diverse and healthy community that enhanced the marine life in the vicinity.
Artificial reefs that are not identical to local natural reefs can be valuable
for diving tourism, too, which can benefit local economies and remove pressure
from natural reefs.
——
“Precautions should be taken in advance of deploying artificial reefs due to
the potential of attracting invasive species,” says Hill. “But artificial reefs
are usually better than no reefs at all.”
Shirley Johnson
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<((((º>.·´¯'·.¸¸.·´¯'·.¸><((({º>¸.·´¯'·.¸. ,.><((({º>¸.·´¯'·.Shirley Johnson
