11th ICRS Abstract book - Nova Southeastern University

24.1116
A Newly Established Coral Reef Ecosystem At The Northern Tip Of The Gulf Of
Aqaba -Jordan
Salim AL-MOGHRABI* 1 , Khaled SOKHNY 2
1 Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, Aqaba, Jordan, 2 Environmental Center for
Arab Towns, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The coastal area of Jordan extends over 27Km at the northeastern tip of the Gulf of
Aqaba, where fascinating coral reefs of the fringing type thrive and flourish as the most
northern latitudinal limit of reefs distribution, worldwide. Jordan's northern-most third tip
of the Gulf is characterized by featureless sandy seabed. This very limited coast is
Jordan’s only maritime access and it is currently home to many users adding to the
natural stress exerted over corals.
The Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and
Gulf of Aden (PERSGA) and the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA)
funded the establishment of an artificial reef in August 2004. It is composed of two
hundred blocks, ranging in height from 1-4m, caste according to 12 different design
structures and deployed over 40000m2 of the sandy area from 9-22 m depth. Two days
after blocks deployment fish started laying their eggs over the blocks. Two soft corals
(Anthelia glauca and Xenia umbellata) colonized the structures less than two months after
deployment, while it took the hard coral larvae about a year before they were first
noticed. Underwater cleanup dives were realized along the coastal area and orphan coral
colonies growing over the garbage were collected, fixed to PVC substrate and buoyant
weight. The adopted coral saplings were transplanted to the artificial reef site and fixed
over the blocks. The artificial reef provided a proper foraging ground, a safe shelter and
an appropriate spawning place. Nowadays, hundreds of fish, soft and hard corals, and
other species inhabit the artificial reef structures creating a new coral reef ecosystem at
the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba.
24.1117
The Coral Trays, a Simple Method to Create Large Sustainable Artificial Reefs
Thomas LE BERRE* 1 , Cedric GUIGNARD 1
1 Seamarc Pvt. Ltd., Male', Maldives
Transplantation has been widely used to artificially propagate corals. A simple, cost
effective technique, the coral trays, is used to propagate the corals rescued from coastal
development areas. The present technique, based on very workable protected metallic
rebars is very versatile. It has been successful in relatively large scale experiments (>500
m2) in a shallow sandy reef flat on the exposed and lee side of the island of Landaa
Giraavaru for recreational activities and aesthetics. The success of the technique is mostly
owed to a good water flow and decreased effects of sedimentation. The height from the
sea bed makes abrasion less than for other types of structures. The structure also enables
relatively high densities of transplants decreasing the predation pressure. Ease of
deployment and rapidity of transplanting are enabling operational advantages.
Applications of such sustainable artificial reefs further needs to be developed and the
monitoring process is an integral part of the reef development as the initial stock is used
to always develop new structures from “cultured” fragments. Self sustainability is
achieved after a short time. The process already involves local communities and could
provide alternative livelihoods in the rural parts of the Maldives.
Compared with the sandy reef flat nearby, they are the location of high fish biodiversity
and abundance, providing shelter to large array of fish life from pipefish and blennies to
snappers and angelfishes. Prospective development of large reefs are similar to those
include sediment creation and erosion control. It would favorably replace dead coral rock
structures in wide use, increasing biodiversity and overall resilience of the system, and be
used for the restoration of damaged or dredged areas.
Poster Mini-Symposium 24: Reef Restoration
24.1118
Reef Ball Pilot Project in Hastings, Barbados
Andre MILLER* 1 , David GILL 1 , James BLADES 1
1 Barbados Marine Trust, St. Michael, Barbados
Reef Balls are artificial reef structures designed to create new or enhance existing reef habitats.
They consist of a long-lasting marine concrete mix which allows for growth of benthic biota
such as corals and a suitable habitat for fish.
Previous observations suggest that they can also serve as fish recruiting devices, but much
debate exists as to whether an increased presence of fish at reef ball locations is a result of
direct recruitment or population redistribution (i.e. aggregation vs. production).
The Barbados Marine Trust in 2004 deployed 30 Reef Balls off the South Coast of Barbados in
a sandy channel located between two patch reefs. The pilot project sought to determine the
propriety of reef balls for Barbados’ reefs, and to ascertain its effect on fish abundance,
distribution and diversity at the test site and its reef environs.
The Bohnsack and Bannerot Fish Census Method (1986) was employed which involves a
survey of all fish observed within a water column 15m in diameter over a ten (10) minute
period. This was executed several times over an 18-month period. Three neighbouring control
sites (two reef sites, one sand site) were designated to be compared and contrasted against the
experimental reef ball site.
The overall observation findings indicate that the placement of the artificial reef structures into
the barren location has resulted in an increase in both the abundance and diversity of fish within
the same location – initially due to redistribution, but subsequently from direct recruitment. The
reefs balls have also demonstrated marked stability in unstable water conditions (after the
passage of Hurricane Ivan), proving that they can maintain high structural integrity in such
conditions and thus can be used as shoreline defense mechanisms or for reef rejuvenation in
high energy environs.
24.1119
Benthic Colonization And Ecological Successional Patterns On A Planned Nearshore
Artificial Reef (Ar) System in Broward County, Se Florida
Adrienne CARTER* 1 , Stacy PREKEL 1
1 Marine Science & Biological Research, Coastal Planning & Engineering, Inc., Boca Raton, FL
Nearshore marginal reefs are frequently impacted from beach restoration activities. Beach
nourishment, in particular, can impact nearshore hardbottom through burial and subsequent
habitat degradation. In response to increased beach nourishment activities, reef restoration
projects have increased immensely over the last decade. In Southeast Florida, the deployment of
artificial reefs (ARs) as mitigation for nearshore habitat loss has become routine. To determine
the success of ARs as appropriate nearshore habitat replacement, long-term AR colonization
studies are essential to evaluate ecological processes and succession rates in shallow marine
environments. This paper reports on a four-year study of the development, seasonal recruitment
and ecological succession rates of macrobenthic communities on a mitigative AR system
located in Broward County, Florida. Pioneering organisms and community composition were
evaluated via the Coastal Planning & Engineering, Inc. Benthic Environmental Assessment for
Marginal Reef (BEAMR) method. Benthic communities were sampled at 9-, 12-, 18-, 24-, 36-
and 48-month post-construction. By use of multivariate analyses both spatial and temporal
fluctuations of colonizing organisms were assessed, as well successional stages of
contemporary organisms. Preliminary results indicate a typical colonization pattern in which
biotic cover and diversity increased on the AR system progressively from 9 to 48 months postconstruction.
Results also indicate that equilibrium was not attained by functional groups due
to frequent physical disturbances.
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