Fragments of coral inserted in clay tiles are surviving and growing, a hopeful sign for saving the animals at risk from climate change
Emma Camp searching for resilient corals that might save the Great Barrier Reef. Picture: Supplied/Rolex
“The corals have grown so much since I last dived here,” said Vriko Yu on a recent afternoon, moments after resurfacing in the protected, jade-coloured waters. “What excites me is the way that you can see the species are quickly making a home here.” The 3D printing process is cheaper than pouring concrete and allows for bespoke designs combatting specific environmental problems
“Corals aren’t like trees, they don’t have roots,” says Yu. “They can’t attach to sand. They must be connected to substrate. So, we had to kind of renovate the sea floor.” Hong Kong’s corals are of special interest to marine scientists because of the region’s huge changes in seasonal water temperatures, which rise or fall by as much as 15°C, according to Jonathan Cybulski, a Smithsonian fellow and former historical ecologist at HKU. Studying these corals could help researchers understand why they are so hardy and provide survival lessons for corals elsewhere. “Hong Kong corals are incredibly resilient to change,” Cybulski says.
Emma Camp, a coral expert at the University of Technology Sydney in Australia, says site-specific and evidence-based approaches such as Archireef’s will be crucial to success in coral restoration. “It’s brilliant,” she says. “There is not one-size-fits-all when it comes to finding a solution. Local knowledge and context must be applied.”
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