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THE NEW CLIMATE
Why Planting Baby Corals Isn’t Enough to Save Reefs
A new study finds coral seeding boosts survival in the first year, but long-term success still depends on the neighborhood
A few years ago, my family set up a saltwater aquarium at home. What can I say? I’m a very curious biologist.
The goal was modest: raise a few corals, keep them alive, and maybe learn something. We quickly realized that even with daily testing, stable temperatures, and near-perfect lighting, getting corals to survive — let alone grow — was no easy feat. The smallest shift in algae growth or water chemistry could set them back.
Or cause a bleaching event.
A recent study on coral seeding and survival, therefore, brought back some memories.
Although I’m not a marine biologist by training, I spent my PhD years in Australia surrounded by reef researchers and close friends who worked out of Heron Island and AIMS. I’ve taught university courses on marine ecosystems, and I’ve seen firsthand how sensitive corals are to their surroundings, especially when they’re young.
So when I read that researchers had tested coral “seedlings” in macroalgae-dominated reefs, and actually tracked their…
