FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERISATION OF CORAL SPECIES FOR ENHANCING REEF RESTORATION

Abstract

Restoration is commonly implemented to re-establish live coral cover in degraded reefs, but an understanding of how ecosystem functionality can be reinstated is limited. Here, I characterised species traits relevant to enhancing reef restoration and identified high priority coral species for restoring ecosystem functioning in Singapore’s impacted reefs. I showed that urbanisation strongly influenced coral community composition and ecosystem functions, such as space-holding and reef-building capacity. Morphological, physiological and reproductive traits best explained the observed susceptibility to bleaching among coral species. The stakeholders surveyed had wide-ranging levels of understanding, views and preferences toward restoration. Synthesising these findings, I developed a framework to prioritise species according to different management scenarios. Numerous acroporids dominated the top ranks, while species with small encrusting forms or a free-living habit were consistently least prioritised. My results highlight the relevance of a trait-based approach in the development of effective strategies to restore functioning in urbanised reef systems.