Your Daily Dose of Climate Hope: December 25, 2024

Multivitamins for corals!

Scientists are testing an artificial reef with “multivitamins for corals” in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Check out this cool ocean science project, and enjoy the holiday!

Reasons For Hope

Source.

Scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution are field-testing innovative new methods of building coral-nurturing artificial reefs. Next to a natural reef in the U.S. Virgin Islands, they’re testing what are essentially “multivitamins for corals,” providing tiles enriched with micronutrients like manganese, zinc, and iron as a healthy growth substrate for young coral polyps.

"We are studying how corals react when grown on substrates that have been infused with essential metal micronutrients, like manganese, zinc, and iron…

preliminary data collected during more than a year of lab experiments shows that corals that had the early benefit of multivitamins were more resistant and resilient to heat stress.”

— Colleen Hansel, marine chemist

“The artificial reef we’re building is going in next to a natural reef that has been severely impacted by marine heat waves and extreme storm events.

The artificial reef will protect the shoreline from storm surge and erosion while providing habitat for corals struggling from climate change, as we work toward restoring natural reefs in the area.”

— Marilyn Brandt, coral disease ecologist

Enjoy your holiday!