Coral Reef Rehabilitation – Technical Options and necessary Political and Socio-economic Frame: Experiences from Jordan, Egypt and Kenya.

24 recruits of Stylophora pistillata and Acropora humilis (12 each) were transplanted to a cathode mesh of a DC electrolytic system (ARCON® technology) in the Middle Reef off Hurghada, Egypt, Red Sea. Fed by solar energy the coral nubbins were embedded into the ARCON® substrate during the precipitation phases. The recruits were distributed across one half of the cathode (0.6 m2) surface with a mean distance of 9.35 cm to each other. After 5 month the precipitated substrate showed a maximum thickness of 18 mm with maximum crush strength of 256.0 kg/cm2. Transparent cuts of the phase limits between the artificial substrate and the coral skeleton showed a direct connection between the molecular lattice of the electro-chemical produced substrate and the molecular lattice of the coral skeleton. The highest mortality was found for the recruits of A.humilis (75.0%). The growth rate of A.humilis was measured with 3.2 mm/month. The number of new buds on the surviving recruits of A.humilis was counted with a mean of 3,4 buds per recruit within the investigation period of 8 month. The highest number of buds per A.humilis recruit was counted with 6. In contrast the recruits of S.pistillata survived to 83.4 % with a growth rate of 3.6 mm/month. The productivity of the S.pistillata recruits during the investigation period was considerably high: a mean of 14.2 new buds per recruit was counted for the S.pistillata nubbins. The highest number of buds per recruit was counted with 27. After 8 months the tissue of transplanted S.pistillata nubbins did not contain any heat shock protein (HSP 90 / HSP 70). In contrast HSP 90 was found in the tissue of S.pistillata colonies from reef areas in close vicinity of the ARCON® unit. The results are discussed for the suitability and applicability of the ARCON® technology within the frame of coral reef rehabilitation.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Schillak, L., Ammar, M.S.A., Muller, W.E.G.
Format:	Report Section biblioteca
Language:	English
Published:	European Union 2001
Subjects:	Coral reefs, Socioeconomic aspects, Transplantation, Stylophora pistillata, Acropora humilis,
Online Access:	http://hdl.handle.net/1834/7010
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