A South African scientist and conservationists in Tanzania are working to restore coral reefs by cultivating and transplanting corals onto artificial structures.
, explains that she and her team have been working to promote marine conservation around Mnemba Island in Tanzania where intense human pressure on Mnemba House Reef has reduced coral cover to about 10 percent.
"In 2023, six large artificial structures were created and deployed in consultation with the local communities to create additional tourism opportunities for boat operators, while simultaneously increasing habitat for marine life," she says,"A total of 1500 coral colonies from the nursery were transplanted onto the artificial structures to mimic the surrounding natural reefs.
"The aim will be to transplant these corals species onto the artificial and natural reefs to help build reefs for the future," she says.From South Africa To Mozambique To Tanzania Floros explains that these experiences shaped her passion and ambition to become a marine biologist and focus on coral reef conservation.
"Our conservation model is driven by rangers who have been recruited from the local communities," she says,"We feel that this is so important because they are our marine champions and ambassadors spreading the word about marine conservation."Camilla Labonte
Mnemba Island Mnemba House Reef Wild Impact Tanzania Zanzibar Africa Coral Reefs Does Africa Have Coral Women In Stem Camilla Floros
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
A possible explanation for the 'missing plastic problem': New detection technique finds microplastics in coral skeletonsResearchers from Japan and Thailand investigating microplastics in coral have found that all three parts of the coral anatomy—surface mucus, tissue, and skeleton—contain microplastics. The findings were made possible thanks to a new microplastic detection technique developed by the team and applied to coral for the first time.
Read more »
Microplastics found in coral skeletonsResearchers have found microplastics less than 300 m in size in coral skeletons. The team developed a new protocol to extract and detect microplastics and applied it to coral samples from the Gulf of Thailand. The finding may also explain the 'missing plastic problem,' where about 70% of plastic in the oceans cannot be found.
Read more »
As coral reefs face unprecedented heat, scientists pioneer new ways to protect themCoral reefs are critical for fisheries, tourism, protecting against coastal erosion — and they help develop life-saving treatments for leukemia. As warm water temperatures and toxic algae take their toll on the reefs, researchers in Puerto Rico are diving in and using young diadema sea urchins to save the vital resource.
Read more »
How diversity in heat tolerance can help protect coral reefsNew research out of Southern Cross University has found previously undocumented variation in coral heat tolerance on Australia's Great Barrier Reef, giving hope that corals' own genetic resources may hold the key for us to help in its recovery and adaptation.
Read more »
Microplastics Found Lurking Inside Coral Skeletons'These deposited microplastics can potentially be preserved for hundreds of years,' said a researcher.
Read more »
Our digital 3D models of huge coral reefs could help revive these precious ecosystemsAs a team of marine biologists, assessing the health of thousands of square meters of coral reef can be a daunting prospect. Often, we have to monitor some of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet, and there's a strict time limit due to the safety regulations associated with Scuba diving.
Read more »