Editing Coral reef (section)

===Coral farming===
[[File:NOAA_coral_nurseries_help_support_coral_restoration.jpg|thumb|left|Coral trees cultivating juvenile corals. Corals can be out-planted onto reefs, sold for profit, or other purposes.]]
[[Coral aquaculture]], also known as coral farming or coral gardening, is showing promise as a potentially effective tool for restoring coral reefs.<ref name="Horoszowski-Fridman">{{cite journal |vauthors=Horoszowski-Fridman YB, Izhaki I, Rinkevich B |year=2011 |title=Engineering of coral reef larval supply through transplantation of nursery-farmed gravid colonies |journal=Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology |volume=399 |issue=2 |pages=162–166 |doi=10.1016/j.jembe.2011.01.005|bibcode=2011JEMBE.399..162H }}</ref><ref name="Pomeroy">{{cite journal|vauthors=Pomeroy RS, Parks JE, Balboa CM |year=2006 |title=Farming the reef: is aquaculture a solution for reducing fishing pressure on coral reefs? |journal=Marine Policy |volume=30 |issue=2 |pages=111–130 |doi=10.1016/j.marpol.2004.09.001|bibcode=2006MarPo..30..111P }}</ref><ref name="Rinkevich">{{cite journal|author=Rinkevich, B |year=2008 |url=http://www.ocean.org.il/Eng/_documents/Management-of-coral-reefs.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130523175241/http://www.ocean.org.il/Eng/_documents/Management-of-coral-reefs.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-05-23 |title=Management of coral reefs: We have gone wrong when neglecting active reef restoration |journal=Marine Pollution Bulletin |volume=56 |issue=11 |pages=1821–1824 |doi=10.1016/j.marpolbul.2008.08.014 |pmid=18829052 |bibcode=2008MarPB..56.1821R }}</ref> The "gardening" process bypasses the early growth stages of corals when they are most at risk of dying. Coral seeds are grown in nurseries, then replanted on the reef.<ref name="Ferse">{{cite journal |author=Ferse, S.C.A. |year=2010 |doi=10.1111/j.1526-100X.2010.00682.x |title=Poor Performance of Corals Transplanted onto Substrates of Short Durability |journal= Restoration Ecology |volume= 18 |issue= 4 |pages=399–407|bibcode=2010ResEc..18..399F |s2cid=83723761 }}</ref> Coral is farmed by coral farmers whose interests range from reef [[Conservation movement|conservation]] to increased income. Due to its straight forward process and substantial evidence of the technique having a significant effect on coral reef growth, coral nurseries became the most widespread and arguably the most effective method for coral restoration.<ref name="Lirman-2016">{{Cite journal|last1=Lirman|first1=Diego|last2=Schopmeyer|first2=Stephanie|date=2016-10-20|title=Ecological solutions to reef degradation: optimizing coral reef restoration in the Caribbean and Western Atlantic|journal=PeerJ|language=en|volume=4|pages=e2597|doi=10.7717/peerj.2597|pmid=27781176|pmc=5075686|issn=2167-8359 |doi-access=free }}</ref>
[[File:Coral planting and reef restoration may 11.jpg|thumb|Coral fragments growing on nontoxic concrete]]
Coral gardens take advantage of a coral's natural ability to fragment and continuing to grow if the fragments are able to anchor themselves onto new substrates. This method was first tested by Baruch Rinkevich<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Rinkevich|first=Baruch|date=1995|title=Restoration Strategies for Coral Reefs Damaged by Recreational Activities: The Use of Sexual and Asexual Recruits|journal=Restoration Ecology|language=en|volume=3|issue=4|pages=241–251|doi=10.1111/j.1526-100X.1995.tb00091.x|bibcode=1995ResEc...3..241R |issn=1526-100X}}</ref> in 1995 which found success at the time. By today's standards, coral farming has grown into a variety of different forms, but still has the same goals of cultivating corals. Consequently, coral farming quickly replaced previously used transplantation methods or the act of physically moving sections or whole colonies of corals into a new area.<ref name="Lirman-2016" /> Transplantation has seen success in the past and decades of experiments have led to a high success and survival rate. However, this method still requires the removal of corals from existing reefs. With the current state of reefs, this kind of method should generally be avoided if possible. Saving healthy corals from eroding substrates or reefs that are doomed to collapse could be a major advantage of utilizing transplantation.

Coral gardens generally take on the safe forms no matter where you go. It begins with the establishment of a nursery where operators can observe and care for coral fragments.<ref name="Lirman-2016" /> It goes without saying that nurseries should be established in areas that are going to maximize growth and minimize mortality. Floating offshore coral trees or even aquariums are possible locations where corals can grow. After a location has been determined, collection and cultivation can occur.

The major benefit of using coral farms is it lowers polyp and juvenile mortality rates. By removing predators and recruitment obstacles, corals are able to mature without much hindrance. However, nurseries cannot stop climate stressors. Warming temperatures or hurricanes can still disrupt or even kill nursery corals.

Technology is becoming more popular in the coral farming process. Teams from the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program (RRAP) have trialled coral counting technology utilizing a prototype robotic camera. The camera uses [[computer vision]] and learning algorithms to detect and count individual coral babies and track their growth and health in real time. This technology, with research led by [[Queensland University of Technology|QUT]], is intended to be used during annual coral [[Spawn (biology)|spawning]] events and will provide researchers with control that is not currently possible when mass-producing corals.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-09 |title=The game-changing robotics helping to grow new corals |url=https://www.barrierreef.org/news/news/the-game-changing-robotics-helping-to-grow-new-corals |access-date=2024-01-19 |website=Great Barrier Reef Foundation |language=en}}</ref>