RESILIENCE & RECRUITMENT

Corals are the largest constructors on the face of the earth. They are natural architects in the shallow sea but are only productive when juvenile corals are recruiting. At every dive location in Little Cayman we see evidence of recruitment.

This project will investigate the potential for these juvenile corals to survive and replenish the local reefs which have shown dramatic declines over the past decades. Results from this work will be used to determine whether the mature corals are reproducing at rates that can ultimately maintain this colossal structure.

We are also examining how coral diversity is impacted by the level and species recruiting.