Grazing deterrents improve survival of outplanted juvenile corals
High juvenile mortality limits coral recovery and restoration, especially in heavily grazed reefs. This study tested low‑impact grazing deterrents—arrangements of masonry nails—designed to block large grazers without altering light or water flow. Six‑month‑old Acropora digitifera juveniles outplanted to a shallow reef crest showed dramatically improved outcomes: colonies with deterrents had nearly tenfold larger planar area, more branches, greater height and higher survival. The first week proved critical, as reduced tissue loss from grazing strongly predicted long‑term survival over 14 months. These results demonstrate that incorporating simple grazing deterrents into outplant devices can substantially enhance coral restoration success in grazer‑dominated systems.
Subject Tags
- Biodiversity
- Habitat restoration
- Reefs
Abstract
High mortality of juvenile corals hinder both the natural recovery of populations and the successful implementation of restoration efforts. Grazing is a significant cause of juvenile coral mortality, and grazer exclusion devices have been shown to increase juvenile coral survivorship. However, most experiments have used cages that typically alter water flow and light conditions, making it difficult to separate abiotic effects from those of grazing. Here, we test whether grazing deterrents can increase the survival and growth of six-month-old Acropora digitifera juveniles outplanted to a shallow reef crest, using arrangements of two or four long or short masonry nails designed to physically exclude larger grazers (e.g., parrotfish) while minimising abiotic changes. By the end of our study, colonies with deterrents had significantly larger planar area (almost tenfold for the most effective treatment), more branches, greater height, and higher survival than those without deterrents. A critical period in this study was the first week after outplanting when colonies with deterrents had significantly less tissue area loss from grazing than those without. Lower area loss in the first week was associated with significantly higher survival over the following 14 months, with an almost threefold improvement for the most effective treatment. For heavily grazed systems, our study highlights the importance of incorporating grazing deterrents into outplant devices to counteract the negative impact of large grazers on newly outplanted juvenile corals and boost restoration success.
Citation
van der Steeg, E., Humanes, A., Bythell, J. C., Craggs, J. R., Edwards, A. J., Golbuu, Y., ... & Guest, J. R. (2025). Grazing deterrents improve survival of outplanted juvenile corals. Coral Reefs, 44(4), 1389-1401. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-025-02703-z
TNC Authors
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Yimnang Golbuu
Director of Conservation, Micronesia and Polynesia
The Nature Conservancy
Email: yimnang.golbuu@tnc.org