Great Barrier Reef Restoration, despite numerous reef protection achievements, mass coral breeding methods persist.
Scientists and engineers have developed methods to mass-produce healthy baby corals, potentially restoring reefs impacted by climate change.
Semi-automated and robotic approaches improve coral aquaculture production from a few thousand to tens of millions per year.
Many scientific and engineering advancements have been achieved through the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Programme (RRAP), the largest R&D programme to protect ecosystems from climate change. The programme is a crucial step towards coral reef restoration at scale, offering hope for the future of the world’s reefs.
According to the World Meteorological Organisation, July was the hottest month ever recorded, with ocean temperatures reaching record highs for this season. This has caused coral reef bleaching in the Florida Keys and Caribbean, and experts predict rising ocean temperatures due to climate change.
To address rising ocean temperatures, we are exploring methods to plant millions of heat-tolerant corals on the Great Barrier Reef and other coral reefs worldwide.
Key innovations for coral reefs to adapt and recover from rising ocean temperatures include:
- Semi-automated and robotic coral mass production and year-round propagation technologies.
- Accelerating heat tolerance in coral species in lab • Distributing coral babies to reefs for better survival in their first year • Cryopreserving trillions of coral sperm for reef repopulation
- Developed new models to predict intervention deployment and effectiveness. • Created prototypes for fogging and cloud brightening machines to protect corals from heat and light intensity, potentially reducing heatwave impact.
Anna Marsden, Managing Director of the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, stated that coral reefs are at the forefront of climate change and that reducing global emissions is crucial for their future.Warming ocean temperatures persist, making emissions reductions insufficient to protect coral reefs for future generations. Our goal is to develop methods to maintain existing reefs, restore lost ones, and aid corals in adapting to rising ocean temperatures.
Reef Restoration and Adaptation Programme Executive Director Dr. Cedric Robillot stated that climate change impacts on coral reefs worldwide are disturbing and present restoration efforts are insufficient.These innovations, which can be applied to thousands of square kilometres, revolutionise coral reef repair, which is now done manually on a few square metres of reef.A varied team of 350 professionals, including biologists, data scientists, ecologists, engineers, geographers, mathematicians, and social scientists, collaborated with Traditional Owners and Reef community members to achieve this success. Coral reef restoration science has advanced more in the previous three years than in the past 30 years, indicating success.
Reef Restoration and Adaptation Programme partner quotes
Acting CEO of the Australian Institute of Marine Science, Basil Ahyick, emphasised the need for foundational understanding to provide scalable solutions for the Great Barrier Reef and other reef systems worldwide.
“The challenge is huge. Our National Sea Simulator facility and research vessels are advancing coral aquaculture by developing large-scale, tech-driven breeding and seeding procedures to accelerate reef rehabilitation. We are investigating methods to improve coral heat tolerance to protect Australian reefs in the hotter future.Long-term Traditional Owner ties encourage these developments.
Decisions will be based on field investigations and creating ecological and decision models to determine the most effective time and place for initiatives.
CSIRO Environment, Energy, and Resources Executive Director Peter Mayfield emphasises the importance of participating in the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Programme, which will pilot innovative restoration methods developed over the past three years.
We have devised methods to gather coral larvae from healthy reefs and relocate them to reefs in need of recovery with our partners. Dr. Mayfield stated that our environmental modelling displays how reef ecosystems would adapt to climate change assistance, proving its value.
Professor Melissa Brown, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Queensland, expressed pride in contributing to the RRAP programme, highlighting our commitment to global reef ecosystem challenges and the exceptional facilities at the UQ Heron Island Research Station.Our scientists are researching ways to stabilise damaged reef surfaces, preventing or inhibiting reef recovery due to loose and unconsolidated coral debris.
“Rubble stabilisation, a new reef restoration technique, could be a valuable tool for preserving our precious Reef.”
Dr. Erin Rayment, QUT Executive Director, Industry Engagement, stated that QUT is working with communities and stakeholders to create technology and treatments to prevent coral bleaching and recover the reef.Our scientists developed a revolutionary method for counting baby coral using advanced computer vision and AI. The team is creating methods to apply research to reef restoration, according to Dr. Rayment.
Significantly, QUT academics collaborate with partners like AIMS to enhance the impact of their study. A recent project produced an adhesive that adheres coral to reef rubble for re-seeding and stability.
Southern Cross University Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research and Academic Capability) Professor Mary Spongberg emphasised the importance of Cloud Brightening and Fogging in preserving the Great Barrier Reef from bleaching and heat stress due to rising sea temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere. Our researchers’ RRAP work has prepared humanity to handle increasingly catastrophic climate situations.
Professor Jenny Seddon, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research, James Cook University, expressed pride in their partnership with RRAP and its significant impact on the Program’s research outcomes.
Our breakthroughs in coral aquaculture research have improved coral larvae survival and output, including seeding new corals. Professor Seddon noted that JCU scientists collaborated with Traditional Owners, tourism operators, and the community to design and implement citizen-science monitoring of RRAP’s coral seeding field trials at Moore Reef off Cairns’ coast.
Funded by the Australian Government’s Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Programme partners include the Australian Institute of Marine Science, CSIRO, QUT, Southern Cross University, and James Cook University.
Media: Sarah Henderson shenderson@barrierreef.org | 0429 890 087