"Sustainable "living ark" aims to secure the future of corals": Just 800 corals?

[serwobow]

Sustainable "living ark" aims to secure the future of corals

The Great Barrier Reef isn't in the best of shape to say the least, so in an attempt to help secure the longterm future of its corals and other corals worldwide, Contreras Earl Architecture has unveiled what it calls the world's first dedicated coral conservation center. Assuming all goes ahead as…

newatlas.com

It I read it and thought it was an interesting idea to save corals in a giant facility, but then it says they want to stock it with just 800 corals. Doesn't that seem like a low number?

 

[ileas]

800 species of coral is a lot

 

[dz6t]

I think there will be more than 800 coral. For this hobby, we only see less than 100 species and each specie can have a dozen or more color morph.

 

[Greg Hiller]

Hopefully it won't be just the brown color morphs. What a drab world that would be if we have to repopulate the reef with just brown corals. Sad we even have to contemplate this.

 

[serwobow]

I think it is an impossible, and hopeless task. The Norwegian seed bank, for example, has a more conservative goal (just save seeds having to do with agriculture) and yet has millions of seeds, and still only contains a small fraction of the total diversity of agriculture seeds. And they can just freeze the seeds. No culturing necessary. In order to maintain single species of coral at a reasonable diversity, for example acropora millepora, one would really need at least a hundred or so genetically distinct individuals. Otherwise, it would be a very limited pool that would be limited in it ability to undergo reasonable genetic adaptation to a changed environment. and then they need to culture these 100 individuals indefinitely (for like a thousand years until the CO2 levels drop and the ocean temperatures re-stabilize. Not to mention that aquaculture is not successful for many (most?) acroporas. I think relying on hobbiests to maintain the biodiversity might actually be a more realistic goal. At least then we will maintain all the ones with the best colors.

 

[absolutecarrot]

I think it is an impossible, and hopeless task. The Norwegian seed bank, for example, has a more conservative goal (just save seeds having to do with agriculture) and yet has millions of seeds, and still only contains a small fraction of the total diversity of agriculture seeds. And they can just freeze the seeds. No culturing necessary. In order to maintain single species of coral at a reasonable diversity, for example acropora millepora, one would really need at least a hundred or so genetically distinct individuals. Otherwise, it would be a very limited pool that would be limited in it ability to undergo reasonable genetic adaptation to a changed environment. and then they need to culture these 100 individuals indefinitely (for like a thousand years until the CO2 levels drop and the ocean temperatures re-stabilize. Not to mention that aquaculture is not successful for many (most?) acroporas. I think relying on hobbiests to maintain the biodiversity might actually be a more realistic goal. At least then we will maintain all the ones with the best colors.

Great point

 

[LaxFrags]

Hopefully it won't be just the brown color morphs. What a drab world that would be if we have to repopulate the reef with just brown corals. Sad we even have to contemplate this.

I agree. Is sad and messed up that we even have to think about it, and I also hope that they populate it with bright healthy coral.

 

[Cpage101]

looks like we are all the future so let’s get that sps growing

 

[LaxFrags]

looks like we are all the future so let’s get that sps growing

For sure!

 

[LaxFrags]

Great point

Very good point. Unfortunate though.

 

[GraniteReefer]

I think it is an impossible, and hopeless task. The Norwegian seed bank, for example, has a more conservative goal (just save seeds having to do with agriculture) and yet has millions of seeds, and still only contains a small fraction of the total diversity of agriculture seeds. And they can just freeze the seeds. No culturing necessary. In order to maintain single species of coral at a reasonable diversity, for example acropora millepora, one would really need at least a hundred or so genetically distinct individuals. Otherwise, it would be a very limited pool that would be limited in it ability to undergo reasonable genetic adaptation to a changed environment. and then they need to culture these 100 individuals indefinitely (for like a thousand years until the CO2 levels drop and the ocean temperatures re-stabilize. Not to mention that aquaculture is not successful for many (most?) acroporas. I think relying on hobbiests to maintain the biodiversity might actually be a more realistic goal. At least then we will maintain all the ones with the best colors.

When I read about this a few months ago the “ark” is just the first step. The article I read had mentioned eventually a distribution to/from the ark as it’s aquaculture takes off. The recipients would be aquariums around the world and a network of corals would be created amongst them. Atleast someone is doing something and acknowledging there is an actual issue at hand. If it was up to the governments of the world its business as usual as we rape and pillage the earth and the rich get richer with little regard for the future.

 

[dz6t]

There are many “ark” for coral well before this.
The biggest questions are if dumping (or called run off) chemicals in the ocean can be stopped or significantly decreased. If tourism can be better managed.

The current situation already makes the planet greener due to significant less travel, especially by airlines. This is an unintended study of how human activity impact the environment and the results show.