CRB: Optimization Strategies for Reef Restoration Using Cultured Hermatypic Corals

米勒珊瑚礁是生物多样性的重要储藏库，是低生产力海域的生物生产中心。它们提供自给自足和商业捕鱼，并通过吸引旅游业为第三世界经济做出贡献。越来越明显的是，珊瑚礁正受到人类活动的不利影响。人类活动的影响，无论是历史的还是现代的，都在破坏珊瑚礁，以至于生态系统的功能是否受到了损害。珊瑚礁渔业和栖息地的恢复正处于萌芽阶段。正在审查从陆地和近岸恢复项目中吸取的经验教训，以避免代价高昂或具有破坏性的错误。然而，在珊瑚礁上工作的后勤及其复杂性需要新的方法。珊瑚生理学和珊瑚礁生态学研究有很好的基础，可以作为恢复工作的基础。该项目包括两个紧密相连的部分：1)检查实验室养殖条件下的珊瑚生长和生理情况；2)评估珊瑚对栖息地结构的贡献；2)评估实验室饲养的珊瑚在野外试验区的生物复杂性和存活率。该项目将研究光周期和基质对珊瑚生长速度和代谢性能(光合作用、呼吸作用和钙化)的影响。这些数据将被用于修改培养技术，这些技术比简单的移植策略具有显著的优势。珊瑚通常是生长缓慢的物种，优化生长速度以达到临界大小的珊瑚将是养殖方法成功的基础。临界规模将在实地试点研究中进行评估。试验区将在船舶搁浅地点建立。地块将包括在不同培养条件(外植体)下生长的珊瑚，大小不一。它们对栖息地结构复杂性和由此产生的生物多样性的影响将与从健康的珊瑚礁地区移植的珊瑚和自然控制的S遗址进行比较。还将比较培养的外植体和移植的珊瑚的存活率和生长率。本项目的研究结果将为制定可行的恢复方案提供生理和生态信息。此外，珊瑚养殖的进一步发展将减少用于商业贸易的珊瑚野生捕获量的增加，从而有助于珊瑚礁保护工作。

Mueller Coral reefs are important reservoirs of biodiversity and serve as centers of biological production in low productivity seas. They provide subsistence and commercial fishing and contribute to third world economies by attracting tourism. It has become increasing apparent that reefs are being adversely affected by human activities. The impact of anthropogenic activities, both historical and modern, is damaging reefs to the point whether ecosystem functioning has been compromised. Restoration of reef fisheries and habitats is in its embryonic stages. Lessons learned from terrestrial and near-shore restoration programs are being examined to avoid costly or damaging errors. However, the logistics of working on reefs and their complex nature require new approaches. There is a good foundation of coral physiology and reef ecology research on which to base restoration efforts. This project includes two closely coupled components: 1) examination of coral growth and physiology under laboratory culture conditions and 2) assessment of coral contribution to habitat structural a biological complexity and survival rates of laboratory -raised corals in field test plots. This project will examine the effect of photoperiod and substrates on coral growth rates and metabolic performance (photosynthesis, respiration and calcification). These data will be used to modify culture techniques which have significant advantages over simple transplantation strategies. Corals are generally slow-growing species and optimizing growth rates to attain coral of critical size will be fundamental to the success of a culture approach. The critical size will be assessed in field pilot studies. Test plots will be established in a vessel grounding site. Plots will include corals grown under various culture conditions (explants) and to varying sizes. Their effect on habitat structural complexity and the resulting biodiversity will be compared to corals transplanted from healthy reef areas and to natural control s ites. Survivorship and growth rates of cultured explants and transplanted corals will also be compared. Results obtained from this project should provide both physiological and ecological information for the formulation of viable restoration programs. In addition, the further development of coral culture will assist reef conservation efforts by reducing the increasing wild harvest of corals for commercial trade.