Changes in coral cover and coral size distribution in Mexican reef restoration sites

Four years ago Oceanus and its partners started a Reef Restoration Program focused on strengthening resilience and the adaptation potential of coral reefs in the Gulf of Mexico and the Mexican Caribbean. The Program involves... [ view full abstract ]

Four years ago Oceanus and its partners started a Reef Restoration Program focused on strengthening resilience and the adaptation potential of coral reefs in the Gulf of Mexico and the Mexican Caribbean. The Program involves the transplant of thousands of colonies every year and identification of genetic material  to increase diversity in restoration sites, thereby promoting natural resilience and resistance to climate change and local stressors. After four years sites are starting to show visible changes of recovery. Monitoring of trasplants has indicated success in survival (80%) and growth, which will mean sexual maturity in a short time and subsequent sexual reproduction. Due to the continuous input of new colonies (small sizes), cover of living tissue in each colony ranges from 1.5 cm² to 86 cm² with an average of 17cm². According to field results to date, at least 10% of the total of colonies already trasplanted, at least in 2 sites, are in this stage. After achieving that size, every additional year of growth, the proportion of the colony that spawns will increase according to maturity. Sexual reproduction of transplanted colonies is the ultimate goal, as it will start the multiplier effect of restoration, sending hundreds or thousands of genetically diverse larvae and recruits to new sites on the reef.