Abstract Summary
Until recently, most restoration efforts in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary focused primarily on Natural Resource Damage Assessment for coral reefs, seagrass, and mangroves following mechanical injuries caused by human activities. Debris removal, framework repair, transplantation, infilling, and nutrient enhancement are all techniques that have been employed. More recently, in addition to expanding outplanting of acroporids by partners to promote recovery of ESA-listed species, the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) also recently supported coral salvage and stabilization following Hurricane Irma to mitigate losses associated with this natural disturbance. In recognition of the accelerated decline of marine life throughout the Florida Keys, substantial threats posed by high levels of use, and recent waves of bleaching and lethal diseases, ONMS has made a new commitment to proactive ecosytem restoration. New technologies that expand the scale and the species involved in restoration efforts are needed to promote recovery of biogenic habitat, associated biodiversity, and critical functional roles provided by abiotic and biotic ecosystem elements. Our primary tactic will focus on reestablishing essential functional elements that stimulate subsequent natural recovery of other degraded habitats nearby or downstream. Priorities include restoration of herbivores such as Diadema to promote grazing, removal of corallivores to reduce coral losses, seeding of coral larvae, and outplanting of boulder corals and other species to restore habitat complexity and diversity. Auxiliary requirements may include controls on fish and lobster removal in order to restore the full range of symbiotic interactions that characterize healthy coral reef ecosystems, as well as control of invasive species. Effective ecosystem restoration also needs to consider the sensitivity of corals to physical damage from waves and storms, vulnerability to predation, and mortality due to competition with algae and other space competitors. By incorporating high genetic and species diversity, identification of coral holobionts that are resistant to disease, temperature stress and other climate impacts, and selection of the most appropriate reef environments and habitats, the performance and resilience of outplants can be enhanced.
