Project title: Building the tools for scientific population management of critically endangered coral species in Belize as a model for other restoration programs
Project lead: Prof. Iliana Baums
Co-applicants: Prof Robert Lacy, Prof Ethan Deyle, Prof Phillip Doble, Prof Arthur Gleason, Ms Lisa Carne, Dr Kathryn M Rodriguez-Clark, Ms Marissa Gisselle Brady
Countries involved: Belize, Germany, Honduras, USA
Takes place: Belize, Honduras
Supporting institutions: Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity at the University of Oldenburg (HIFMB Germany), The Species Conservation Toolkit Initiative and Species360 (USA), Boston University (USA), University of Miami (USA), Fragments of Hope (Belize), Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (USA), Bay Islands Conservation Association (Honduras)
Total budget: USD $1,389,754
Duration: 36 months

Project overview

The rapid decline of coral populations demands innovative approaches to restoration and species survival, particularly for critically endangered species like Acropora palmata (elkhorn coral). Traditional coral restoration efforts have primarily focused on enhancing ecosystem services rather than preventing species extinction. However, with recent population crashes, especially in the Caribbean, there is an urgent need to shift focus towards species-level management. This requires specialized tools to support population management, which are currently lacking in coral conservation. Existing tools used in other areas of wildlife conservation are not directly applicable to corals due to their unique life histories. Without tools adapted to corals’ life traits, practitioners struggle to collect and analyze the necessary data to inform restoration strategies, which hinders effective decision-making and limits the overall impact of coral conservation efforts.

This project aims to develop a science-based tool tailored to managing endangered corals, starting with the elkhorn coral in Belize. The tool will enable the use of existing data to inform population management strategies, helping to guide restoration efforts. The project will focus on creating a Geographic Information System (GIS) database to track coral demographics, identifying management needs through stakeholder engagement, and testing existing population management software for compatibility with coral life histories. The insights gained from this project will refine the management process, making it a model that can be adapted for coral restoration efforts globally.

Specific Objectives

1. Develop a GIS Database: Create a database for tracking coral demographic events by genet (genetic individual), ramet (clonal offshoots), and location.
2. Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborate with local practitioners to identify their needs and co-design the management tool to ensure it meets their requirements.
3. Data Analysis for Management: Analyze existing data to identify correlates of bleaching resistance and provide recommendations for coral restoration strategies.
4. Tool Design and Testing: Test and potentially modify existing population management tools to ensure they are suitable for managing coral populations.

How the Objectives Will Be Met

1. GIS Database Development:

• Systematize over 10 years of survey data from Belize, including metadata on coral identity, bleaching events, and environmental factors.
• Digitize and integrate time-series photos of coral colonies into a searchable database.
• Calculate vital rates for over 40 colonies and establish the genetic identity of 288 samples from Belize and Honduras.
• Collect environmental data, including bathymetry, water quality, and temperature.

2. Stakeholder Engagement:

• Conduct workshops with coral restoration practitioners to identify gaps and needs in current population management practices.
• Review existing data collection, storage, and analysis practices and co-design the management tool to address identified gaps.
• Undertake site visits to understand the management context and refine tool design criteria.

3. Demonstration Data Analysis:

• Analyze existing data to correlate bleaching resilience with phenotypic, genotypic, and environmental factors.
• Provide recommendations for coral outplanting in Honduras, focusing on stress-tolerant genotypes.

4. Tool Design and Testing:

• Assess and test the population management tool commonly used in zoo population management, for its applicability to coral conservation.
• Modify the tool as needed to support scenario modeling for coral populations.

Impact of the Project

The project will result in an interactive, community-driven database tool designed to manage endangered corals. It will also lead to the replenishment of coral sites in Honduras using standardized donor selection criteria, and the tool developed could potentially be adapted for use in coral restoration projects worldwide. By harnessing previously underutilized data, this project will contribute significantly to the restoration of Caribbean coral populations.

Major Highlights

1. • Development of an interactive database tool for coral population management, co-designed with local communities.
   • Utilization of extensive, previously untapped data to inform and improve coral restoration practices.
   • Contribution to the restoration of endangered corals in the Caribbean, with potential global applications.

Photo credits: Tung Nguyen (@Pixabay)