Long-term efficacy and cost-effectiveness of coral reef restoration interventions

Coral reefs are suffering degradation from a number of natural and man-induced causes.  Tackling the root causes of this degradation through effective coastal management measures is likely to be the best way forward for reducing damage and allowing reefs to return to viable healthy states.  In addition, there can also be opportunities for direct intervention to actively restore degraded coral reefs.

At present there is only a rudimentary understanding of the complex processes that contribute to natural recovery of coral reef systems from disturbance and it is difficult to assess what the most appropriate restoration actions might be.  Criteria are needed which specify the degree to which an injured site might benefit from better management and/or active restoration.

The CRTR Restoration and Remediation Working Group is seeking to address many of the knowledge gaps which hinder restoration and to advise the management community so that restoration projects can be undertaken in a more informed way and with a better chance of success.

Research Activity

• Enhancing recovery by culture and transplantation of corals
• Enhancing larval recruitment
• Long-term efficacy and cost-effectiveness of restoration interventions

Information for Managers

Reef Restoration Concepts and Guidelines: making sensible management choices in the face of uncertainty, is available online or order your hard copy by completing the order form.

Research Update

CRTR Program Restoration and Remediation Working Group Research Update - March 2007 [download]

Expected outcomes

The CRTR Program Restoration and Remediation Working Group aims to produce a number of products specifically for managers. These include Reef Restoration Concepts and Guidelines: making sensible management choices in the face of uncertainty and, towards the end of the project, a Reef Restoration Manual.

Among a range of questions the Restoration and Remediation Working Group is striving to answer are:

• What minimum local conditions and management needs to be in place for active restoration interventions to have a chance of success?
• Under what circumstances is active restoration likely to be of little benefit?
• What is the relative cost-effectiveness of a range of restoration interventions?
• How is asexual coral transplant survival related to size in different species and in different environments?
• Which coral species are not well-suited for transplantation?
• What effects do pruning coral colonies for asexual fragments have on the reproduction, growth and survival of donor colonies?  How much can be safely excised?
• How does the nursery rearing environment affect survivorship of outplanted corals on the reef?
• At what size is it most cost-effective to outplant sexual recruits reared from coral spawn?