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Caribbean Reefs Revived by Coral IVF
16 Dec
Summary
- Assisted reproduction mimics IVF to create new corals.
- Dominican Republic reefs face severe degradation, 70% lost.
- Coral restoration combats climate change's threat to reefs.
Marine conservation organizations in the Caribbean are increasingly turning to assisted reproduction techniques, such as in vitro fertilization, to revive dying coral reefs. These methods help create genetically diverse coral populations, offering a critical advantage over cloning, which can leave corals vulnerable to disease.
In the Dominican Republic, organizations like Fundemar are meticulously raising "coral babies" in underwater nurseries after conceiving them in laboratories. This initiative is vital as climate change, primarily through ocean warming, has devastated local reefs, with 70% now having less than 5% coral coverage. The decline threatens coastal protection and tourism.
While these restoration efforts provide much-needed hope, experts stress that addressing the root cause of climate change, driven by fossil fuel emissions, remains paramount. Without global action to curb greenhouse gases, the extensive work of coral restoration could be undermined, jeopardizing marine biodiversity and coastal communities worldwide.
