PROJECT 2.3: REHABILITATION OF REEF SITES
(Prof JH Choat, JCU)
 |
Windows to the reef: a coral transplantation project
at Sunlover Cruises' underwater observatory pontoon, offshore Cairns.
Photo: Jamie White |
Reef-based tourist and recreational activities are concentrated at selected
sites which provide safe anchorage and are accessible from major coastal
towns. When these coral sites are seriously damaged by cyclones or outbreaks
of Crown-of-thorns starfish, the resultant economic impact on individual
operators and communities can be serious. Techniques are being evaluated
to determine the cost-effectiveness of rehabilitating damaged
sites to enhance their aesthetic appeal.
Experiments are being conducted at Lizard Island to determine which
coral species and colonies are most suitable for transplantation, the
time of year when transplantation is likely to be most successful and
the effects of removing fragments on the host coral. The experiments indicate
that the main source of mortality in transplanted coral fragments is caused
by the area within a reef to which they are transplanted. More than 90%
of the transplanted coral died in some areas while less than 25% died
in adjacent areas.
Other causes of mortality in apparent order of importance include:
- the techniques of transplantation,
- the reef where the transplantation occurred,
- the species of coral,
- the season and
- the host colony.
Fragments can be removed from up to 85% of a colony with little significant
effect on its mortality. Experimental work for this project is scheduled
for completion by the end of 1996.
Top | Contents
| Next
|
