DISMANTLING SHIPS TO REVITALIZE CORAL REEFS WITH ARTIFICIAL REEFS

ABSTRACT Australia's Great Barrier Reef is an immense swath of coral made up of about 2,900 reefs, 600 mainland islands, and 300 coral atolls. It stretches for 2,200 kilometers, ranging in width from 30 km to 740 km. This natural wonder is visible from space and is the largest structure in the world made solely by living organisms. The corals that form this barrier are essential for marine biodiversity and were elected as a World Heritage Site in 1981. However, the Great Barrier Reef faces serious challenges, including bleaching caused by rising temperatures and the impacts of climate change. One strategy for revitalizing reefs is the use of sunken old ships to create artificial reefs. This approach not only conserves the marine environment, but also promotes scientific research and the production of bioproducts. Artificial ship reefs provide substrates for the marine community and simulate environments similar to natural reefs, contributing to the protection and revitalization of this important barrier reef. It is essential to develop strategies to preserve the oceans and mitigate the impacts of human activities, ensuring the survival of this ecosystem and protecting it as a treasure. KEYWORDS Revitalization of Australia's Barrier Reef, Artificial Ship Reefs, Bioproducts.【摘要】澳大利亚大堡礁是规模宏大的珊瑚礁群，由约2900座独立礁体、600座大陆岛屿以及300座珊瑚环礁构成。其延展长度达2200公里，宽度跨度介于30公里至740公里之间。这一自然奇观可从太空观测到，是全球唯一完全由活体生物构建的巨型结构体。构成该礁群的珊瑚对于海洋生物多样性至关重要，并于1981年被列入世界遗产名录。然而，大堡礁正面临严峻挑战，包括海水升温引发的珊瑚白化以及气候变化带来的诸多影响。修复礁群的策略之一，是利用沉没的老旧船舶打造人工鱼礁。此类方案不仅能够保护海洋环境，还可推动科学研究与生物制品的研发生产。船舶人工鱼礁可为海洋生物群落提供附着基底，模拟出与自然礁体相似的栖息环境，有助于该重要礁群的保护与修复。制定策略以保护海洋、减缓人类活动带来的影响，从而保障这一生态系统的存续并将其作为珍贵遗产加以守护，这一点至关重要。【关键词】澳大利亚大堡礁修复、船舶人工鱼礁、生物制品