CRB: Optimization Strategies for Reef Restoration Using Cultured Hermatypic Corals

CRB：使用培养的造形珊瑚进行珊瑚礁恢复的优化策略

• 批准号: 9424568
• 负责人: Erich Mueller
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of South Alabama
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 1995
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1995-07-01 至 1998-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9424568&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CRB; Optimization; Strategies; Reef; Restoration; CRB; Optimization; Strategies; Reef; Restoration

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.

穆勒珊瑚礁是生物多样性的重要储层，是低生产力海洋生物产生中心。 他们提供生存和商业捕鱼，并通过吸引旅游业为第三世界经济做出贡献。 显然，珊瑚礁受到人类活动的不利影响。 人为活动的历史和现代活动的影响正在损害礁石，以至于生态系统功能是否已受到损害。 珊瑚礁渔业和栖息地的恢复处于胚胎阶段。 正在研究从地面和近岸修复计划中学到的经验教训，以避免昂贵或损害错误。但是，在礁石上工作及其复杂性的后勤需要新的方法。 珊瑚生理学和珊瑚礁生态学研究有一个良好的基础，以恢复努力。 该项目包括两个紧密耦合的组成部分：1）在实验室培养条件下检查珊瑚生长和生理学的检查； 2）评估珊瑚对栖息地结构的贡献A在现场测试地块中实验室珊瑚的生物学复杂性和存活率。 该项目将检查光周期和底物对珊瑚生长速率和代谢性能（光合作用，呼吸和钙化）的影响。 这些数据将用于修改与简单移植策略相比具有显着优势的文化技术。 珊瑚通常是生长缓慢的物种，优化生长速率达到临界大小的珊瑚将是培养方法成功的基础。 临界大小将在现场试验研究中进行评估。 测试地块将在容器接地位置建立。 地块将包括在各种培养条件下生长的珊瑚（外植体）和不同大小的珊瑚。 它们对栖息地结构复杂性和所得生物多样性的影响将与从健康的礁区和自然控制的珊瑚进行比较。 还将比较培养的外植体和移植珊瑚的生存和生长速率。 从该项目获得的结果应提供生理和生态信息，以制定可行的恢复计划。 此外，珊瑚文化的进一步发展将通过减少珊瑚的狂野收获来帮助礁石保护工作。