Coral Reef Reconstruction
What is Coral ?
Coral reefs are massive structures made of limestone deposited by living things.
Although thousands of species inhabit coral reefs, only a fraction produce the limestone that builds the reef.
The most important reef-building organisms are the corals.
Coral reefs support approximately 25 percent of all known marine species.
As one of the most complex ecosystems on the planet, coral reefs are home to more than 4,000 species of fish, 700 species of coral, and thousands of other plants and animals.
A coral reef is like a metropolis under the sea.
Although coral is often mistaken for a rock or a plant, it is actually composed of tiny, fragile animals called coral polyps.
When people say coral, they are referring to these little animals and the skeletons they leave behind after they die.
Although there are hundreds of different species of corals, they are generally classified as either hard coral or soft coral.
Coral reefs are massive structures made of limestone deposited by living things.
Although thousands of species inhabit coral reefs, only a fraction produce the limestone that builds the reef.
The most important reef-building organisms are the corals.
Coral reefs support approximately 25 percent of all known marine species.
As one of the most complex ecosystems on the planet, coral reefs are home to more than 4,000 species of fish, 700 species of coral, and thousands of other plants and animals.
A coral reef is like a metropolis under the sea.
Although coral is often mistaken for a rock or a plant, it is actually composed of tiny, fragile animals called coral polyps.
When people say coral, they are referring to these little animals and the skeletons they leave behind after they die.
Although there are hundreds of different species of corals, they are generally classified as either hard coral or soft coral.
Rebuilding Reefs
With so much of our economy based on tourism, it is about time something was done to protect and rejuvenate the coral reefs which surround our beautiful island for everyone to enjoy, and which also offer some natural protection against extreme weather patterns.
In the past 30 years, humans have caused more damage to coral reefs than the reefs have suffered over the previous 220,000 years.
One future project is a floating coral nursery that is home to about 1,100 coral fragments.
This allows corals to grow without additional pressure from predators, since the nursery floats about 16ft off the sea bottom and 16ft from the surface.
Dive Tribe are helping to develop this fresh way of transplanting coral grown in floating nurseries to restore reefs off the coast of Thailand.
The technique requires tiny fragments of coral to be grown in netted cages suspended in the sea, protected from grazing fish and strong currents. This improves the coral’s chances of survival. The first crop can then be transplanted onto badly damaged reefs thereby rejuvenating the existing reef area.
The team adopted this method because they discovered that traditional “coral rehabilitation”, which involved sinking concrete blocks or marine wrecks offshore to allow coral to grow on them could at times be unsuccessful because the waters had a high degree of sediment or pollution and the light required for corals to grow could not penetrate.
Natural recovery of degraded coral reefs is only possible if coral seeds or coral larvae are still available in the area and environmental factors are right for the coral to regrow.
In the past 30 years, humans have caused more damage to coral reefs than the reefs have suffered over the previous 220,000 years.
One future project is a floating coral nursery that is home to about 1,100 coral fragments.
This allows corals to grow without additional pressure from predators, since the nursery floats about 16ft off the sea bottom and 16ft from the surface.
Dive Tribe are helping to develop this fresh way of transplanting coral grown in floating nurseries to restore reefs off the coast of Thailand.
The technique requires tiny fragments of coral to be grown in netted cages suspended in the sea, protected from grazing fish and strong currents. This improves the coral’s chances of survival. The first crop can then be transplanted onto badly damaged reefs thereby rejuvenating the existing reef area.
The team adopted this method because they discovered that traditional “coral rehabilitation”, which involved sinking concrete blocks or marine wrecks offshore to allow coral to grow on them could at times be unsuccessful because the waters had a high degree of sediment or pollution and the light required for corals to grow could not penetrate.
Natural recovery of degraded coral reefs is only possible if coral seeds or coral larvae are still available in the area and environmental factors are right for the coral to regrow.
The Steel Reef
We have recently been working on a large steel structure that will be placed on the sea bed by the end of 2013.
This wil incorporate large swim throughs and be the base for all other coral reef programs we undertake. The steel structure will have new corals transplanted to it and have a number of added features to allow the numerous sea creature to take up residence in and around the new reef. Around the steel structure we will have smaller concrete structures of varying sizes , all these aimed at creating as much biodiversity as possible. As we have discovered reefs that really work are always many different shapes and sizes , this encourages a healthy cross section of life.
This wil incorporate large swim throughs and be the base for all other coral reef programs we undertake. The steel structure will have new corals transplanted to it and have a number of added features to allow the numerous sea creature to take up residence in and around the new reef. Around the steel structure we will have smaller concrete structures of varying sizes , all these aimed at creating as much biodiversity as possible. As we have discovered reefs that really work are always many different shapes and sizes , this encourages a healthy cross section of life.
ReEF Regeneration
We also have projects to create an artificial reef and may use specially designed concrete cylinders with many crevices to create beds for coral larvae to grow.
Consisting of 100 concrete blocks, each 5ft square will be placed carefully on baron seabed and will be stacked into interesting formations.
These blocks will become the home for the coral fragments, now growing in the floating coral nursery.
Although the concrete “reef” is less attractive than a natural one, it will in time become an interesting dive site.
Fish will take up residence along with a myriad of other marine life and this will become a haven and bustling marine enclave.
"Fancy Corals" for marine aquariums are now very popular but sadly a lot are illegaly collected, by offering a good crop of farmed corals this will take pressure off of our natural reefs and provide the local Thai community with an income. By using the methods we employ and other more easy to follow systems we hope to offer the local coastal population a sustainable living farming corals for the large aquarium market and offer reef education and awareness programmes.
Consisting of 100 concrete blocks, each 5ft square will be placed carefully on baron seabed and will be stacked into interesting formations.
These blocks will become the home for the coral fragments, now growing in the floating coral nursery.
Although the concrete “reef” is less attractive than a natural one, it will in time become an interesting dive site.
Fish will take up residence along with a myriad of other marine life and this will become a haven and bustling marine enclave.
"Fancy Corals" for marine aquariums are now very popular but sadly a lot are illegaly collected, by offering a good crop of farmed corals this will take pressure off of our natural reefs and provide the local Thai community with an income. By using the methods we employ and other more easy to follow systems we hope to offer the local coastal population a sustainable living farming corals for the large aquarium market and offer reef education and awareness programmes.
Please Help Us To Rebuild Reefs In Thailand
With Your Help We Can Provide Habitat
For The Marine Life And Help Our Corals Regrow
Thank You From All Of The Team at DT
With Your Help We Can Provide Habitat
For The Marine Life And Help Our Corals Regrow
Thank You From All Of The Team at DT