The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has embarked on an ambitious project with the assistance of Gujarat’s forest department. The team is attempting a pioneering method to restore coral reefs. This innovative approach employs the use of biorock or mineral accretion technology, marking the first time such an effort has been made.
Understanding Mineral Accretion Technology
Mineral accretion technology, also known as Biorock Technology, operates through the application of safe, low voltage electrical currents in seawater. The result is the crystallization of dissolved minerals on structures, resembling a white limestone (CaCO3) similar to what naturally forms coral reefs and tropical white sand beaches.
The substance formed through this process, Biorock – often referred to as Seacrete or Seament, has a strength that can be compared to concrete. It serves a significant purpose in facilitating fast growth of corals on robust artificial reefs. Biorock provides an ideal platform for broken coral fragments to grow at exceedingly rapid rates, almost four to six times faster than their natural growth rate.
Easing the growth process for corals allows them to focus their energy elsewhere, rather than on building their own calcium carbonate skeletons. The technology also assists corals, including the exceptionally vulnerable branching corals, to withstand the threats from global warming.
How Biorock Technology Works
The process involves passing a small amount of current through electrodes submerged in water. When a positively charged anode and negatively charged cathode are placed on the seafloor, with an electric current flowing between them, calcium ions combine with carbonate ions and adhere to the structure. The outcome is the formation of calcium carbonate.
Coral larvae latch onto the calcium carbonate and develop rapidly. A diverse range of power sources like windmills, photovoltaic solar panels, and tidal current generators can facilitate Biorock projects, making them feasible even in areas devoid of conventional electric power.
The concept was first devised by architect Wolf Hilbertz in 1976 to provide alternative construction materials. Together with Tom Goreau from the Global Coral Reef Alliance, they further developed its application for reef restoration and shore protection.
Biorock Technology in India
In a first in India, a biorock structure was installed one nautical mile off the Mithapur coast in the Gulf of Kachchh on January 19th, 2020. The team used solar panels for power in this instance. The process of calcification, or conversion into calcium carbonate, has begun. However, the real measure of success lies in enabling the attached and new organisms (corals) to grow at an accelerated rate.
Understanding Coral Reefs
Corals comprise genetically identical organisms known as polyps, which host microscopic algae called zooxanthellae within their tissues. This symbiotic relationship allows shallow water corals to grow sufficiently to form extensive structures called reefs. These reefs, considered the “rainforests of the sea,” harbor an incredible array of organisms, contributing significantly to marine biodiversity.
Coral reefs in India are primarily found in four regions: Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Gulf of Mannar and the Gulf of Kachchh. They face threats from climate change-induced acidification and human activities such as overfishing and pollution.
About Zoological Survey of India
The ZSI, established in 1916, is a subordinate organization of the Ministry of Environment and Forests. As a national center for faunistic survey and exploration, it leads efforts in advancing knowledge about the country’s extraordinarily diverse fauna. The ZSI has its headquarters in Kolkata, with 16 regional stations spread across the nation.
