Coral Reefs Are in Crisis – but Scientists Are Finding Effective Ways to Restore Them

These are bleak times for coral reefs.  Warming ocean waters, disease outbreaks, pollution, sedimentation, careless scuba divers, destructive fishing practices, and a host of other global and local stressors are decimating coral populations at unprecedented rates.

If there is any silver lining to these events, it may be that many of the disturbances killing corals are acute:  They occur just for a short period of time and then disappear, potentially allowing corals to recover before the next disturbance.  But as stressors become more and more frequent, humans may have to help foster corals’ recovery.

Many organizations are working to combat coral loss by restoring corals to damaged reefs.  But some approaches are more likely to be successful in restoring coral populations than others.

Making reef restoration faster and more efficient will require creative approaches.  In a new study, we describe how to harness the power of key ecological processes, including predation, competition, and nutrient cycling, to make coral restoration more successful.

Read more at Coral Reefs Are in Crisis – but Scientists Are Finding Effective Ways to Restore Them