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MarineLab's Coral Restoration Site
MarineLab staff instructors have been participating in the reef restoration efforts of the Coral Restoration Foundation (CRF) for the past several years. CRF has developed a unique method of raising and transplanting the threatened coral species, Acripora cervicornis (Staghorn Coral), onto damaged areas on the reefs of Key Largo.
January 2011
MarineLab is the first organization to transplant our own restoration site on Molasses Reef. Along with assistance from CRF members, we prepared small colonies of coral at the coral nursery (where coral colonies are maintained and monitored). While at the nursery, we were also introduced to CRF’s newest method of rearing corals – dangling them on lines hanging midwater. This seems to keep the corals farther away from competing and predatory species, and the corals in this part of the nursery were growing fast! We then brought the corals to our designated reef site, and transplanted them onto the reef structure using an underwater epoxy glue. We are now proud to be responsible for the maintenance and monitoring of this site into the future. We love our baby corals! As MarineLab’s instructors, we are constantly looking for ways to give back to the incredible habitats that we teach about. This will also give us an opportunity to study and learn more about this coral species and how it grows and survives on our reefs. This is something we can pass along to our visiting students. The new site is in shallower water and will be accessible by MarineLab students and teachers.
August 2011 - Happy Corals!
So far, MarineLab’s coral restoration site has been a huge success! 6 months after originally planting the corals in January of 2011, instructors went out to check on and measure the babies. Of 60 staghorn coral fragments planted, there were 0 deaths and only 2 babies with obvious signs of stress. The rest were looking healthy and had obviously grown from the last time they were measured. 45 of the coral fragments more than doubled in size in 6 months; 36 had more than tripled in size; and two grew more than 8 times their original total length measured!! There were only 3 little ones where total length measured was less than the original total length. Success!
March 2010 The extreme cold weather experience throughout the Keys this past winter had a devastating effect on MarineLab's Coral Restoration Site. We hope to repopulate the site at some point in the future.
September 2009 On September 12th and 17th, 8 months after the initial transplant, MarineLab staff visited the site of our coral restoration project. The data collected has shown that, overall, the Staghorn corals have almost tripled in size! Shown below is a photo of Nubbin #30. The survival rate of our transplanted corals is approximately 67%, with one genotype falling victim to White Band Disease. However, the surviving corals of that genotype actually grew the most! We will consider taking cuttings from that surviving genotype and replanting the dead sites. Overall, this project has been a success for us and we are proud of our efforts to make a positive impact on the ocean. For a full gallery of the photos from the follow up visits on September 12 and 17, click here. To find out how you can help, visit the Coral Restoration Foundation website at www.coralrestoration.org.
Many of our staff have now become Team Leaders for the Coral Restoration Foundation and help out with projects and groups.
Baby # 30, January 2009 |
Number 30, 8 months later! |
In January of 2009, MarineLab/Marine Resources Development Foundation joined the Coral Restoration Foundation's efforts to grow and transplant corals by adopting its own Restoration Site. Staff members participated in every step of the restoration effort, starting with attaching staghorn fragments to concrete disks in the nursery, brushing algae and debris surrounding fragments already growing in the nursery, and hand-carrying and transplanting larger fragments to the designated restoration site.
The basic premise is that staghorn grows fairly quickly and numerous smaller colonies can be started from fragments of a larger colony. Fragments are attached to cement disks using epoxy. These disks are then attached to concrete blocks in the nursery. After a period of time in the nursery, the disks with the larger fragments are removed from the concrete blocks and taken to the selected restoration site. These are then attached, again with epoxy, to the limestone substrate. The disc and base of the fragments are also surrounded with epoxy (avoiding any live polyps) to ensure a secure attachment. All transplanted corals are labeled and numbered so they can be measured and monitored.
We'll be going back to check on our restoration site in September, so we'll have pictures then!
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