Crews Restore Damaged Coral in Kahuwai Bay
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Earlier this month, a team of scientific divers, snorkelers and boat crews carefully recovered and reattached 313 kūʻa (coral) colonies that had been broken or overturned in Kahuwai Bay in Kailua-Kona.
They were from the Hawaiʻi Emergency Reef Restoration Network of The Nature Conservancy, wich is working with federal, state and community partners to develop a gold-standard for science-based, adaptive and community-centric restoration in Hawai’i.
Together, they are piloting reef restoration at sites where corals have been lost, but where the reefs have proven to be resilient.
But “reef restoration is not a one-and-done fix,” said Julia Rose, coral restoration programme manager at The Nature conservancy, Hawaiʻi and Palmyra.
“It is mālama ʻāina,a commitment to stewardship. While our reefs face mounting pressures, reducing physical damage is something we can act on now to give them a fighting chance.”
Hawaiʻi’s coral reefs are under increasing pressure from sediments, land-based pollutants, overfishing and climate change impacts, including rising sea levels and water temperatures, which are expected to intensify in coming years.
Large swells that impact the west-facing coasts of the Big Island more and more ofen also are another threat to the reefs.
In November, one swell caused extensive damage to the coral colonies, breaking off large pieces that could die or damage the sea floor.
however, these fragments can be reattached and stabilized onto the reef as close to their original location as possible, dramatically increasing their chances of survival and regrowth.
To do this, divers and scientists replant the coral fragments onto the reef using epoxy, cement or other nontoxic underwater adhesives.
Hawaiian Reef Restoration Program Uses Coral Larval Enhancement to Accelerate Recovery
A collaborative effort in Hawaiʻi is leveraging innovative science and customary ecological knowledge to restore coral reefs struggling with the effects of climate change. the ʻĀkoʻakoʻa Reef Restoration Program is employing a technique called Targeted Larval Enhancement to boost coral reproduction and accelerate reef recovery. This approach focuses on assisting natural processes by increasing the density of coral larvae in areas primed for successful growth.
The Challenge Facing Hawaiian Coral Reefs
Coral reefs worldwide are facing unprecedented threats from rising ocean temperatures, ocean acidification, and pollution. In Hawaiʻi, these stressors have led to significant coral bleaching events and declines in coral cover. When coral populations become too sparse, natural reproduction becomes less effective, hindering the reefs’ ability to recover on their own. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Hawaiʻi has lost approximately 80% of its coral reefs in the last century. https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/ocean-coasts/coral-reefs
ʻĀkoʻakoʻa’s Two-Phase Restoration Process
The ʻĀkoʻakoʻa program addresses this challenge with a two-pronged approach:
* Phase 1: Reef Nursery Development: Establishing strategically located Reef Nurseries to provide a safe haven for coral rehabilitation and larval production.
* Phase 2: Targeted Larval Enhancement: This phase involves rehabilitating medium-sized,stressed corals in the nurseries and then utilizing them for mass larval production.
“Our approach assists nature by boosting the natural reproductive cycles of corals,” explains ʻĀkoʻakoʻa founder Greg Asner. “When too many corals on a reef die, the remaining individuals become too isolated to reproduce effectively, which is a primary reason why our reefs are struggling to recover on their own. This is where we step in to help.”
Breeding for Resilience
A key component of the program is selecting adult corals that exhibit natural resistance to warmer water temperatures. Researchers cross-breed these resilient corals to produce offspring with an increased capacity to withstand thermal stress. This selective breeding process aims to enhance the overall heat tolerance of the coral population.
The process then involves:
* Gamete Collection: Collecting eggs and sperm from the selected, heat-tolerant corals.
* Larval Rearing: Raising billions of coral larvae in the nursery environment.
* Strategic Release: Transporting the larvae to Reef Nursery sites positioned to maximize dispersal via nearshore currents.
According to ʻĀkoʻakoʻa, releasing a high concentration of larvae in targeted areas significantly increases their chances of survival and successful settlement, ultimately accelerating the natural recovery process. This targeted approach is more effective than relying on natural larval dispersal alone.
Combining Science and Culture
The ʻĀkoʻakoʻa reef Restoration Program emphasizes the integration of scientific research with traditional Hawaiian ecological knowledge (kūʻauhau).This holistic approach recognizes the deep connection between the Hawaiian people and the health of their coral reefs.The program’s name, ʻĀkoʻakoʻa, itself reflects this integration, meaning “to gather” or “to collect” in Hawaiian, representing the gathering of knowledge and resources for restoration.
Learn More
To learn more about the ʻĀkoʻakoʻa Reef restoration Program and its mission to preserve coral reefs through science and cultural teachings, visit their website: https://www.akoakoa.org/
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