Artificial reefs: Solution or disaster?

Artificial reefs: Solution or disaster?

1. The world’s coral reefs are in trouble. And because coral reefs are home to an estimated 25% of the planet’s marine species, that means the ocean as a whole is in trouble.
2. Just what are coral reefs? Well, coral are small marine creatures that attach to structures on one end and have an opening at the other. Coral reefs are formed when many coral combine to form large colonies.
3. Sadly, pollution and rising water temperatures have led to the death of many coral reefs. When reefs perish, the sea animals that rely on them also suffer. And unfortunately, coral can only settle in certain environments—not everywhere is suitable for coral to attach.
4. To address the worldwide loss of coral reefs, some scientists and marine conservationists have begun looking to artificial reefs for a solution. Not all reefs need to be made of coral—a reef can be any ridge of rock, coral, or other

   stable

   material just below the surface of the sea. And artificial reefs are man-made structures on the ocean floor that can serve as

   habitats

   for coral. For example, many sunken ships host a dazzling array of marine life. But not all artificial reefs have been successful. Artificial reefs have a long history full of both brilliant successes and horrifying failures. We must learn from those past experiences if we are to use man-made reefs, in combination with efforts to reduce climate change and pollution, to begin repairing our ocean ecosystem.

History of artificial reefs

5. Ancient Polynesians developed the idea of placing small plant structures in the water to attract fish. However, these weren’t large enough to support entire coral communities, and thus weren’t true artificial reefs. The first true artificial reefs were built in 18th-century Japan out of bamboo and leaves.
6. Then, in the 19th century, Charles Darwin, the scientist who created the theory of evolution, discovered that coral attached to bamboo was more likely to survive than coral left to roll freely on the ocean floor. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that people began to view artificial reefs as a way to support coral growth and the health of the ocean as a whole.

Mixed successes

7. The artificial reefs of the 1970s and 80s were generally made out of whatever was available. In fact, it was believed that artificial reefs could actually serve as a useful way to get rid of waste.
8. One example of such a reef is the 1972 Osborne Reef constructed off the coast of Florida. Osborne Reef was made out of concrete jacks and used tires held together by steel clips. Unfortunately, the 36-acre artificial reef was a disaster for the ocean. The tires proved unsuitable for coral to latch on to, and soon after the reef was deposited in the ocean, the steel clips began to

   corrode

   . As the clips dissolved, the tires floated throughout the sea, damaging nearby natural coral reefs. The cost of cleaning up the tires has proved enormous, and even in 2023, tires from the failed reef remain in Florida’s waters.
9. Since that time, researchers and marine conservationists have learned a lot about what makes a successful artificial reef. Artificial reefs must be built out of

   non-toxic

   materials that won’t dissolve in ocean waters. They must be designed with many textures and surfaces on which coral can attach. And finally, they must be able to resist falling apart in the face of storms.
10. These lessons were applied in the creation of Florida’s Neptune Memorial Reef in 2007. Constructed from concrete and metal, this 16-acre reef, designed to resemble the mythical city of Atlantis, now hosts 56 fish species and 195 coral colonies.

Only a partial solution

11. Although artificial reefs can play an important role in providing homes for coral and other sea creatures, they can’t be our only solution. In the end, humans must start addressing the causes of coral reef death—climate change and pollution. If we don’t, then our oceans will be in trouble no matter how many artificial reefs we create.