FEATURES
MODERN PIONEERING IN CORAL REEF RESTORATION: MICROFRAGMENTATION
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Introduction
oral reefs are vital components of nature’s aquatic ecosystems. Over 1 million aquatic species depend on coral reefs to serve as feeding, habitation, and nursing grounds. Furthermore, approximately 25% of ecosystems depend on the existence of these reefs for habitation. Coral reefs also serve as a form of natural coastal protection, preserving life against destructive phenomena like tsunamis and storms. However, climate change has led to the endangerment of coral reefs in recent decades. At the time of its enactment in 2014, the Endangered Species Act stated that 22 coral species were considered a s
Written By Emily Ng Designed By Lynne Kim threatened, and 2 are endangered. Since then, the number of endangered coral species have increased rapidly, which also places the lives of various aquatic organisms in jeopardy. A specific consequence of climate change includes mass bleaching, which remains as one of the prime drivers of coral reef deterioration. The rise in intensity of mass coral bleaching is due to the increase in global temperatures. Bleaching mortality is rapidly escalating in various regions in the world—even the Great Barrier Reef, the largest coral reef in the world, is facing increased levels of bleaching. Public interest has been gradually pushing for international efforts to preserve and recover coral reefs. Microfragmentation, an extensive process in which coral is regenerated from its smaller counterparts, is a prominent example of modern solutions. Several groups have been advocating for more attention on this subject, such as Mote Marine Laboratory in Florida, an independent nonprofit that is currently undertaking microfragmentation as a recent initiative. Such efforts, however, have also been countered by the need for more funding and governmental cooperation within global intervention.
Mass Bleaching Derived from climate change, mass bleaching is a key driver of coral reef deterioration. The survival of coral depends on their symbiotic relationship with algae. Algae produces sugars using sunlight, and most are passed into the coral. In exchange, coral gives carbon and nitrogen to algae from their waste. Coral has the tendency to bleach when heat stress disrupts their symbiotic relationship with algae. One proposal suggests that bleaching may be due to damage toward algae’s photosynthetic processes from high temperatures. Struggles to process light properly produce reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (e.g., hydrogen peroxide) as a harmful byproduct. Such Spring 2022 | PENNSCIENCE JOURNAL 35
