Coral reefs are threatened by extinction!

The situation of today's coral reefs is alarming! Besides degradation and decrease of complete coral reefs all over the world, there are certain coral species that seem to be more vulnerable to environmental changes and anthropgogenic disturbance. The Elkhorn coral Acropora palmata and the Staghorn coral A. cervicornis have dramatically decreased in the Caribbean in the past decades. Both species used to dominate shallow reef areas throughout the Caribbean creating a unique habitat for many fish and other reef organisms. More than 90% of these main reef builders have disappeared, although some local populations still reproduce, no significant recruitment has been observed throughout the Caribbean.

During a recent technical workshop in London, leading scientists stated that within decades, all coral reefs are seriously threatened by extinction if no immediate action is taken.

Caribbean corals have been listed as critically endangered under IUCN Red List

The Elkhorn coral and the Staghorn coral stand for the dramatic situation of all coral reefs in the world. In 2008, both species have been listed as critically endangered under the IUCN Red List. Without immediate action, both corals will be soon extinct and more species will follow. This action needs to be taken on global scale (i.e. change towards sustainable energy sources and reduce CO2 emission) and on regional scale (i.e. reduce pollution and overfishing, and enhance sustainable use of coral reefs for tourism and local people).

SECORE is engaged in restoring corals in the wild

Besides public awareness programs set up by many of our members' institutions worldwide, SECORE is nowadays increasingly engaged in the active restoration of the endangered Elkhorn coral and Staghorn coral. Combining knowledge of professional aquarists and scientists, SECORE has shown the potential to use sexual reproduction effectively to raise thousands of juveniles in public aquaria around the world. The next step is to adapt and apply these methods for the large scale restoration of endangered corals in the wild.

The art of reef restoration

Current restoration strategies generally follow two different strategies: asexual propagation (fragmentation) or sexual reproduction. By utilizing sexual reproduction, not only genetic diversity can be maintained, but also much larger quantities of propagules can be produced compared to other restoration techniques. However, compared to sexual recruits, asexually produced fragments usually grow much faster and show lower mortality rates. Nevertheless, until now, any restoration activities are very labor intensive since basically every single fragment or sexual recruit has to be fixed manually to the reef substrate.

SECORE is developing an innovative technique, which will not only enable us to produce hundreds of thousand recruits (coral - substrate tile units), but also to seed these recruits in the reef similar to a farmer seeding corn fields. Large scale reef restoration needs economical and effective strategies.

Restoring Acropora corals in the Caribbean

Facing the dramatic situation of the Caribbean Acroporas - the Elkhorn and the Staghorn coral - numerous restoration projects have been initiated by different organisations in many regions. The Caribbean Acropora Restoration Database gives an excellent overview and some background information on the different projects.

SECORE Restoration projects

In a three years' research project in Curacao and possibly in Puerto Rico, we will develop innovative restoration techniques with leading scientists in the field. By training professionals in the SECORE techniques, creating public awareness through our members' institutions, and stimulating research in this important field, we hope to contribute the conservation of the most diverse marine ecosystem on our planet - the coral reef.

SECORE's restoration initiative is funded by