Under the sea How BU research is making waves in the world of marine conservation

As our coastal habitats have gradually degraded due to human activity such as fishing, dredging, coastal development and pollution, natural rocky reefs are disappearing. These reefs used to provide a safe place for marine life to live, away from predators and sheltered from harsh environmental conditions. Their loss, therefore, represents a significant ecological challenge.

BU is part of a research project called 3DPARE (3D Printing Artificial Reefs in the Atlantic) with collaborators in France, Spain and Portugal, which is exploring ways in which 3D printed artificial reefs can replace these habitats, providing a new home for marine life and increasing biodiversity.

The team printed nine different reefs, using sustainable, low-carbon concrete to see which are more attractive to marine life, and placed them in Poole Harbour. They are now home to over 100 different species – including edible crab, pollack, wrasse, gobies and mullet. The latest stage of the experiment has seen 200 juvenile lobsters released onto the reefs to see if they can survive there, as they are vulnerable to predators in their early life stages.

It is hoped that the findings from this research will give scientists valuable insights into creating artificial reefs that can reintroduce biodiversity to places where the natural population has dwindled to nearly nothing, breathing life back into our seas in the process.

Bournemouth is a lovely town right on the water. It’s been great being able to walk to the beach, and I love that there are several nearby locations (like Bath, Salisbury, and others) that can be accessed via train, making for a fun day trip.

Zoey Bonfante from America, MA English & Literary Media