Substrate Addition - Artificial reef, Substrate stabilisation — Galu Falhu, Malée

OPP-MW43QTpermanent identifier · cite as oceanportfolio.org/p/OPP-MW43QT

Published as: An evaluation of artificial reef structures as tools for marine habitat rehabilitation in the Maldives. | Technique: Substrate Addition - Artificial reef, Substrate stabilisation | Disturbance addressed: Coral mining | Genera: Pocillopora, Acropora, Porites | Method: 360 t of concrete structures of varying levels of topographic complexity, stabilising effect and cost were deployed on a heavily mined study site close to the capital island, Male´. | Post-restoration monitoring: 42 months | Authors' conclusion: Within 1 year of deployment, the artificial reef structures had similar or greater species richness and densities of reef fish than did control pristine reef flats. Substantial coral recruitment had occurred on the larger reef structures which were each supporting ca. 500 colonies, some of which were approaching 25 cm in diameter after 3.5 years. | Lessons reported: Concrete artificial reef structures can satisfy the critical biological requirements (i.e. provide substrate for the settlement and growth of corals and habitat to restore reef fish populations) associated with reef rehabilitation. However, artificial reef structures are costly, time consuming and unlikely to simulate natural reefs for decades. | This record was compiled from a published source and has not been confirmed by the organisation that carried out the work. No contribution to the condition index is recorded: the source reports survival of transplanted material, which is not a measure of ecosystem condition.

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