Active coral propagation outcomes on coral communities at high-value Great Barrier Reef tourism sites

Howlett, L; Camp, EF; Edmondson, J; Hosp, R; Taylor, B; Coulthard, P; Suggett, DJ

Active coral propagation outcomes on coral communities at high-value Great Barrier Reef tourism sites

Howlett, L

Camp, EF Edmondson, J Hosp, R Taylor, B Coulthard, P Suggett, DJ

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Publisher:: ELSEVIER SCI LTD
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Biological Conservation, 2023, 279
Issue Date:: 2023-03-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Howlett, L https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8095-1647
dc.contributor.author	Camp, EF
dc.contributor.author	Edmondson, J
dc.contributor.author	Hosp, R
dc.contributor.author	Taylor, B
dc.contributor.author	Coulthard, P
dc.contributor.author	Suggett, DJ
dc.date.accessioned	2024-01-15T05:39:46Z
dc.date.available	2024-01-15T05:39:46Z
dc.date.issued	2023-03-01
dc.identifier.citation	Biological Conservation, 2023, 279
dc.identifier.issn	0006-3207
dc.identifier.issn	1873-2917
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/174473
dc.description.abstract	Tourism-led stewardship of Great Barrier Reef (GBR) sites has implemented upscaling of coral propagation and out-planting practices. Incorporating ecological monitoring into restoration practices has long been acknowledged as a vital component of reef restoration projects – thereby demonstrating success in relation to improved ecosystem function within impacted reefs. As such, one goal for this tourism-led stewardship project was to identify whether and how activity increased coral cover and target species populations within high-value tourism sites. We therefore investigated coral cover and relative cover of commonly out-planted genera within seven tourism sites over six reefs on the northern GBR via benthic surveys, both prior to the commencement of out-planting activities in August 2019, and again in August 2021. Over this 24-month time frame, out-planting intensity varied between 3970 and 84 out-plants within marked areas (with no propagation activity conducted within corresponding control areas) across sites. Within all out-planting sites, > 65 % of out-plants were Acropora species. One reef showed a significant increase in hard coral cover – 10.3 % (p = 0.016) – at out-planting areas compared to control areas by August 2021. At this same reef, proportions of total coral cover attributed to Acropora species were higher within the out-planting site compared to the control site. Despite variability in coral community responses observed across reef site/operators, we have demonstrated how coral propagation via this tourism-led stewardship model has the potential to increase hard coral cover within some out-planting sites, particularly of commonly out-planted genera.
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	ELSEVIER SCI LTD
dc.relation	http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DE190100142
dc.relation.ispartof	Biological Conservation
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.biocon.2023.109930
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/embargoedAccess
dc.subject	05 Environmental Sciences, 06 Biological Sciences, 07 Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences
dc.subject.classification	Ecology
dc.subject.classification	3103 Ecology
dc.subject.classification	3109 Zoology
dc.subject.classification	4104 Environmental management
dc.title	Active coral propagation outcomes on coral communities at high-value Great Barrier Reef tourism sites
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	279
utslib.for	05 Environmental Sciences
utslib.for	06 Biological Sciences
utslib.for	07 Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - C3 - Climate Change Cluster
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science/School of Life Sciences
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
utslib.copyright.embargo	2025-03-01T00:00:00+1000Z
dc.date.updated	2024-01-15T05:39:44Z
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	279

Abstract:

Tourism-led stewardship of Great Barrier Reef (GBR) sites has implemented upscaling of coral propagation and out-planting practices. Incorporating ecological monitoring into restoration practices has long been acknowledged as a vital component of reef restoration projects – thereby demonstrating success in relation to improved ecosystem function within impacted reefs. As such, one goal for this tourism-led stewardship project was to identify whether and how activity increased coral cover and target species populations within high-value tourism sites. We therefore investigated coral cover and relative cover of commonly out-planted genera within seven tourism sites over six reefs on the northern GBR via benthic surveys, both prior to the commencement of out-planting activities in August 2019, and again in August 2021. Over this 24-month time frame, out-planting intensity varied between 3970 and 84 out-plants within marked areas (with no propagation activity conducted within corresponding control areas) across sites. Within all out-planting sites, > 65 % of out-plants were Acropora species. One reef showed a significant increase in hard coral cover – 10.3 % (p = 0.016) – at out-planting areas compared to control areas by August 2021. At this same reef, proportions of total coral cover attributed to Acropora species were higher within the out-planting site compared to the control site. Despite variability in coral community responses observed across reef site/operators, we have demonstrated how coral propagation via this tourism-led stewardship model has the potential to increase hard coral cover within some out-planting sites, particularly of commonly out-planted genera.

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