'Spiderwebs' to the rescue for Indonesia's coral reefs
by Agustinus Wijayanto, Warief Djajanto Basorie on 7 August 2022
Ultra-strong fibers, multi-legged robots, pain relievers — all are human innovations inspired by spiders.
Now, conservationists in Indonesia are rehabilitating coral reefs using what’s known as the coral spider technique.
The method is a type of reef restoration project involving the installation of man-made “spiderwebs” onto which new corals are grafted. It entails placing small, lightweight rods “made from cast iron that is welded into a hexagonal shape, like a spider web,” Imam Fauzi, head of the National Aquatic Conservation Center (BKKPN) in Kupang, a port city on the island of Timor where one such project is underway, told Mongabay.
Indonesia has one of the most extensive coral reef systems in the world, but more than a third is in poor condition, according to a 2018 study. Much of the damage is due to warming oceans, blast fishing, plastic pollution, and severe storms.
More:
https://news.mongabay.com/2022/08/spiderwebs-to-the-rescue-for-indonesias-coral-reefs/
