New Technology Lights Up Coral Beds to Speed Reef Restoration By Attracting Food – Good News Network
What would a bird feeder look like if you adapted it to feed coral reefs? The answer is something like a searchlight.Scientists at Ohio State have designed one that uses a special kind of light that attracts the microscopic organisms that coral feed on.The device, dubbed the Underwater Zooplankton Enhancement Light Array (UZELA), is an autonomous, programmable underwater light that underwent early trials with the help of the Coral Restoration Foundation in Tavernier, Florida.After testing the submersible on two species of coral native to Hawaii over six months, researchers found that UZELA could greatly enhance local zooplankton density and increase the feeding rates of both healthy and bleached coral.When coral feed on larger quantities of zooplankton, it makes them stronger and more likely to be resilient against certain environmental threats, like heat stress or ocean acidification.“Coral reefs house one-third of all marine species, yet occupy less than 1% of the ocean,” said Andrea Grottoli, lead author of the published study and a professor of earth sciences at Ohio State University.The foundation writes that if UZELA proves effective, it could revolutionize coral nursery operations.“By improving coral health and survival rates, UZELA could help reduce the time it takes for corals to grow to a size suitable for outplanting onto reefs. This would not only enhance the success of coral restoration projects but also reduce the operating costs associated with growing and maintaining nursery corals.”OCEAN ADVANCEMENT: ‘Huge Environmental Win’: Australia to Protect 52% of its Oceans, More Than Any Other CountryUnderstandably, artificial lights can disrupt the behavior of other marine animals, so researchers could choose not to use the device year-round. That said, the study emphasizes that corralling zooplankton with this human-made tool doesn’t seem to harm the environment or interrupt the flow of other zooplankton in the surrounding area.“If you imagine zooplankton in a column floating above coral, instead of being naturally dispersed, UZELA is just pulling them down, but it’s not taking away from the coral beside it,” said Grottoli. “We show that if you put the coral close to the light, they benefit from that concentrated zooplankton, and feeding rates go up 10 to 50-fold.”MORE CORAL NEWS: Full Recovery for Coral Reef Within 4 Years – The Speed of Restoration They Saw was ‘Incredible’“The real intent of this project is to inject new technology and energy into coral restoration success. It’s something that can be deployed strategically for high-value reefs, or projects that have already had a lot of investment in them.”SHARE This Positive News Of An Invention To Fortify Our Reefs… Want A Morning Jolt of Good News?You must be logged in to post a comment.Want A Morning Jolt
of Good News?
