New Research Shows Promising Evidence Artificial Coral Reefs Can Mimic Real Ones

As climate change warms the earth’s terrestrial and marine environments, coral reefs are deteriorating at an alarming rate. There have been projections showing that, even if Climate change is brought within reasonable levels, it is likely that the coming years will see up to two-thirds of coral reefs deteriorate. Since coral reefs are important ecosystems that house many diverse species, this could have devastating effects on the world’s biodiversity. However, new research offers a glimmer of hope. A recent study found early signs that man-made, artificial coral reefs may be able to mimic natural ones. 

Source: Salt Life/YouTube

Artificial coral reefs can offer alternate habitats to species that naturally thrive in real coral reefs. Artificial reefs can be made from a variety of hard, durable materials including concrete. Indeed some man-made structures, including old oil rigs, have even become accidental artificial coral reefs. The hard, man-made structures of artificial reefs provide a medium for corals and sponges to adhere to and grow on. Once these species have established themselves, others follow. Fish, crustaceans, and octopuses all may inhabit artificial coral reefs. This is because these man-made reefs mimic natural ones and offer sources of food and many crevices for the creatures to live in. 

Scientists wanted to know if artificial reefs were capable of not only sustaining auxiliary populations of species but were able to become self-sustaining. The researchers examined artificial reefs in the tropical region near Bali, Indonesia. They found that, although artificial reefs are not currently self-sustaining, there is promising evidence that they are moving in that direction, and will continue to become more capable of sustaining themselves over time. 

Coral reefs are hotbeds of biodiversity. Indeed, they are thought to support up to one-quarter of all marine species. Tropical coral reefs often grow in waters that are low in nutrients like nitrates and phosphate (both of which are important for promoting plant growth). However, species in coral reefs have developed a way around this. The combination of invertebrates, crustaceans, fish, and corals in a reef rapidly processes available nutrients. This keeps coral reefs healthy since it keeps algae and plant matter from stifling the reef.

To be self-sustaining, artificial coral reefs would have to rapidly process nutrients similarly. Doing so would make it more likely that man-made reefs can Support a wide variety of species if natural coral reefs die. To determine if artificial coral reefs are self-sustaining, scientists compared the nutrient levels and manner of nutrient storage between artificial and natural reefs. 

The artificial coral reefs that the scientists examined were created by a non-profit called North Bali Reef Conservation. The group has spent over six years building artificial coral reefs, over 15,000 of them, in a 2-hectare space. After the scientists examined the reefs, they found evidence that they were starting to function similarly to natural reefs. Nutrient levels pointed to nutrient cycling levels similar to those seen in natural reefs. However, artificial coral reefs appeared to be worse than natural reefs at storing carbon. This may be due to the lessened presence of invertebrates in the artificial coral reefs. 

Although this evidence provides a glimmer of hope, the study’s authors warn that artificial coral reefs will not be able to solve the threat to coral reefs presented by Climate change. Instead, they advocate for reef Conservation but feel that artificial reefs may be able to help reestablish coral reefs in places where they have been lost. Artificial coral reefs appear to take five years before they begin to become self-sustaining, and function like natural coral reefs. This means that efforts to establish artificial coral reefs must begin as soon as possible if they are to aid in preserving ecosystems. 

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