Robots are trained to help revive coral reefs.

Robots are trained to help revive coral reefs.

The Vibrant Life Beneath the Sea

“It’s a really special part of the world,” says marine biologist from 40 miles off the coast of Western Australia. “There are no palm trees or luscious vegetation. But once you get in the water, you see all these tropical species of coral and fish.”

Corals are animals, found mostly in tropical waters. The fascinating creatures form hard outer shells by extracting calcium carbonate from the sea, and over time, these hard shells build up to form the foundations of the reefs we see today. Although coral reefs may only cover 0.2% of the seafloor, they provide a habitat to more than a quarter of marine species.

The Threat of Climate Change

Corals are sensitive to heat and acidification so in recent years, as the oceans have warmed and become more acidic, corals have become vulnerable to disease and death. Global Coral Reel Monitoring Network reports a grave warning, a 1.5C increase in water temperature could see losses of between 70% and 90% of the world’s reefs. Climate change thereby appears as the most significant threat to coral reefs around the world.

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Restoration Efforts

Coral restoration typically involves transplanting tiny corals, cultivated in nurseries, onto damaged reefs. However, this work can be slow and costly, and only a fraction of the reefs at risk are getting help.

In the shallow waters of Western Australia, a novel method by a marine biologist is being tested, which she hopes will revive reefs more quickly. It involves grafting coral fragments into small plugs, which are inserted into a moulded base made from a limestone-type concrete. These bases are then placed in batches on the seabed. “We wanted it to be something we could mass produce at a reasonable price,” explains the marine biologist. “And easy for a diver or a remotely-operated vehicle to deploy.”

Role of Technology in Reviving Reefs

A partnership has been formed with a San Francisco-based engineering software firm to use artificial intelligence and collaborative robots (cobots) for automation in coral propagation. The high cost of such technology is an issue though a potential solution is drawing demand from the tourism industry and issuing biodiversity credits.

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The Future of Coral Reefs

Substantial investment of time, money, and human endeavor are required to enable coral reefs to survive the warming future reports a scientist from the Australian Institute of Marine Science’s (AIMS). Other methods under exploration such as coral seeding for larger-scale restoration work, breeding of more resistant “super coral”, geo-engineering clouds to reflect sunlight and protect coral from the heat are indicative of the massive effort underway to save the precious coral reefs.

A promising and unique innovation involves sound, where underwater loudspeakers placed on damaged reefs play healthy sounds to help attract fish and boost reef replenishment.

“We are trying to solve one of the most complex ecological problems on the planet,” says a hopeful AIMS scientist, reminding us “there is no silver bullet solution.”