Restoration & Rehabilitation

RE(EF)GENERATE

This pilot project was initiated to aid the restoration and rehabilitation of coral in the Andaman Islands, by actively creating conducive conditions for them to thrive.

In a first-of-its-kind project in India, Re(ef) Generate uses physical and biological restoration methods. Naturally broken coral fragments are attached to underwater metal structures connected to a Mineral Accretion Device enabling them to grow faster into an extension of the natural reef. These devices, operate on the principle of electrolysis, supplying a mild electric current through a solar source to the iron frameworks ensuring quicker accretion of calcium carbonate. Studies show that this technology improves coral growth rates and allows greater energy allocation toward survival during periods of thermal stress and disease.

From its inception, it has grown from two metal structures to six and currently nine structures. This project has provided valuable insights into coral growth, health, and the effectiveness of assisted reef restoration techniques.

RE(EF)BUILD

This program involves rescuing naturally broken coral fragments – that would otherwise be smothered by the sand and die – and re-attaching them to a robust substratum, such as a metal structure. By collecting these broken fragments and securing them to an unmoving frame, their survival rate would increase. This in time will grow into an artificial coral reef. In total our site in Chidiyatapu has 9 structures that have been populated with coral fragments.

Additionally, we have attached mineral accretion devices to these metal structures. These devices, based on the principle of electrolysis, supply a mild electric current through a solar source to the iron frameworks. This will ensure quicker accretion of calcium carbonate, which helps the reef grow 7 – 12 times faster than normal and leaves the coral with more of an energy budget that it can use to survive warmer temperature spells and coral disease.

RE(EF)GROW

As a tangent of the main restoration and rehabilitation of coral reefs, ReefWatch intends to identify the timing and intensity of natural coral spawning in the Andaman Islands.

Spawning is a natural process of sexual reproduction in corals and often mass spawning events occur where multiple colonies of multiple species all spawn on the same night. Mass spawning events occur about once or twice a year on a specific night around the time of a full moon. A number of intricate and delicate processes affects the occurrence of these events, where a number of factors such as temperature, day length, tide height and salinity play a major role in acting as cues for coral to mature and spawn.
Understanding the timing and intensity of coral spawning in an area provides us with important indicators of reef health and resilience.
While in the process of figuring out when corals spawn, the wet lab that has already been built is being used to experiment with micro-fragmentation of corals.

Restoration & Rehabilitation

RE(EF)GENERATE

RE(EF)BUILD

RE(EF)GROW

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