Coral Reefs at a Crossroad - The need for new tools for management and conservation

Saving the world’s coral reefs requires a multi-pronged approach. Immediate and aggressive action on climate change is paramount for the long-term survival of reefs; however, carbon already released into the atmosphere will... [ view full abstract ]

Saving the world’s coral reefs requires a multi-pronged approach. Immediate and aggressive action on climate change is paramount for the long-term survival of reefs; however, carbon already released into the atmosphere will continue to warm ocean waters to a level inhospitable to corals for decades to come.  Coral reef restoration can help span the predicted gap between the present when existing coral populations are threatened with extinction, and a future ocean that is hospitable again to corals.    Globally work is showing that local restoration of reefs is possible, and the spatial scale of success is steadily increasing.   However to matter at an ecosystem level, major upscaling and a shift from simple gardening to industrial processes will be needed.   Tools from other industries need to be adapted and new processes developed. Working to close the gap between success at the local level and impact at the ecosystem level will not be easy or quick, but in the face of a rapidly declining population is necessary to maintain the ecosystem services that coral reefs provide.

Invited Talk for symposium: Novel approaches to the conservation and management of coral reefs under climate change.