Coral cultivation offers hope to devastated western Indian Ocean reefs

The world's oceans absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which is a positive thing in the face of climate change for those living on land, but can harm the animals that rely on certain acidification levels of ocean waters. When it became apparent off the coasts of Oregon and Washington that oysters and other sea life with a shell or a skeleton were suffering the ramifications, researchers created a sensor that could detect acidification levels that could warn oyster growers of potentially harmful areas.

A floating prototype in the San Francisco bay - envisioned by researchers at California College of Art - is testing the sustainability and possibilities of the creation of floating buildings. The structure, which has successfully integrated with barnacles and other marine life, is one in a number of visions of floating communities that respond to the rapidly appearing effects of climate change on coastal communities.

Around the world, scientists are eco-engineering urban waterfront areas to encourage marine species diversity. Seattle’s Central Waterfront area was recently enhanced with a textured and angled concrete sea wall to encourage the growth of algae and invertebrates, a built-up seafloor to attract juvenile salmon who like shallow water, and light penetrating glass bricks in the sidewalk, which boost seaweed growth and entice shade-avoidant salmon smolts. The project also enhances the human experience with more pedestrian access, better storm water management, and a new pier park with direct water access.

Researchers are using satellite imagery and data to create the first global, high-resolution map of all coral reefs. The project, known as the Allen Coral Atlas, will help provide a baseline for scientists to monitor bleaching events and other short-term changes, which could lead to devastating changes.

Because of drastic reef declines globally, coral reef restoration efforts have gained support in recent years. To understand how to do it, a hardy band of conservationists in the Caribbean are looking at how corals reproduce. But as these scientists acknowledge, raising corals is challenging and complex. And such restoration is no silver bullet for continual habitat loss, pollution, and ocean acidification.

The oceans are acidifying at an alarming rate due to human-influenced climate change, and the effects are proving detrimental to our food chain and the marine ecosystem - especially shellfish, which are literally crumbling due to the increased levels of carbon dioxide. But shellfish farmers, governments, and scientists are striving to respond with a variety of solutions that vary from the short-term, such as altering methods for growing shellfish for improved harvest, to the bigger picture, seeking ways to decrease CO2 emissions on a global scale.

Local fisheries have been struggling to keep up with major manufacturers. Sustainable fishing practices have been countering that by creating Niche markets.

In Sri Lanka, instead of letting old buses corrode in a junkyard they are being sunk in the ocean to serve as fish-breeding sites. Over 60 buses have been dumped in the ocean across three different sites. Scientists looked at factors like depth and wave patters to determine where to sink the buses.

In the South Indian coast, erosion is leading to disappearing beaches. A study found that this erosion was in part due to man-made structures like a harbor that was built in the late 80s, groynes, and seawalls. These structures were interfering with the natural movement of sand. To fix it, they needed a structure that could block waves but also allow sand movement, the solution? An artificial reef. It was installed and some beaches are already seeing the results.

Researchers are using citizen science volunteers to more accurately identify hot spots in cities, where some temperatures are significantly higher than their surrounding areas. The data has also shown that there is a correlation between lower-income neighborhoods and higher temperatures. Climate change is expected to increase the number of extreme weather events, including heat waves, so mapping these urban heat islands can help cities develop new urban planning strategies.