Ecological Intelligence for Reef Restoration and Adaptation Project (EcoRRAP)

The Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program (RRAP) is a collaboration of Australia’s leading experts to create a suite of innovative and targeted measures to help preserve and restore the coral reefs globally. These interventions must have strong potential for positive impact, be socially- and culturally-acceptable, ecologically-sound, ethical and financially-responsible. They would be implemented if, when and where it is decided action is needed – and only after rigorous assessment and testing. The Ecological intelligence for RRAP sub-program is a cross-cutting program that conducts ecological research to boost the success of RRAP interventions by advising on the what, where and when of interventions, and filling crucial gaps in ecological knowledge for the GBR. EcoRRAP’s objectives are: (1) Provide location-specific knowledge on natural processes for reef recovery without human interventions, and their limitations. (2) Deliver knowledge about the natural processes and¿speed of adaptation to a changing environment. In 2021 EcoRRAP has established 352 permanent plots (6 x 12 m) on 64 reference reef sites, which span from the Torres Straits to the Southern end of the GBR, and from inshore to offshore reefs, including reef slopes and reef lagoons, across gradients of wave exposure and depth. At the Reference Reefs, critical environmental, genetic, population demographic and community data were collected using traditional and cutting-edge tools including 3D-photogrammetry. All sites are visited and surveyed annually, and if massive bleaching events occur further surveys may occur, as one of EcoRRAP’s research interests is to improve our understanding of coral reef adaptation and recovery potential from acute disturbances, especially those driven by climate change.EcoRRAP data in their entirety will inform RRAP about site-specific limitations in reef recovery in a wide range of reef habitats represented in the GBR. Traditional Owner consent and GBRMPA permits have been obtained to work at all sites. This is the parent EcoRRAP repository, for details on how each dataset was collected, analysed and interpreted please see the specific repositories for each dataset.

珊瑚礁修复与适应计划（Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program, RRAP）是由澳大利亚顶尖专家联合发起的合作项目，旨在研发一系列创新且精准的干预措施，助力全球珊瑚礁的保护与修复工作。此类干预措施需具备显著正向影响潜力，同时需符合社会与文化接受准则、生态合理性、伦理规范及财务可持续性要求。仅当经研判确需采取行动的场景、时机下，且经过严格评估与测试后，方可落地实施。
RRAP生态智能子项目（Ecological intelligence for RRAP）为跨领域研究项目，通过为干预措施的实施内容、落地场景与执行时机提供专业咨询，并填补大堡礁（Great Barrier Reef, GBR）生态知识的关键空白，以提升RRAP干预措施的实施成效。EcoRRAP的目标如下：（1）提供针对特定区域的、无人类干预的珊瑚礁自然恢复过程及其局限性的相关科学知识；（2）提供珊瑚礁自然适应变化环境的过程与速率的相关科学知识。
2021年，EcoRRAP在64个参考礁点位设立了352个永久性样地（尺寸为6×12米）；这些点位覆盖范围从托雷斯海峡延伸至大堡礁南部，涵盖近岸至远岸的各类礁体，包括礁坡与礁湖，跨越了波浪暴露程度与水深的梯度区间。在上述参考礁点位，研究团队采用传统与前沿技术（包括三维摄影测量法（3D-photogrammetry））采集了关键的环境、遗传、种群统计与群落生态数据。所有点位每年均会开展走访与调查；若发生大规模珊瑚白化事件，则会追加调查——这是因为EcoRRAP的核心研究方向之一，在于深化对珊瑚礁适应与恢复潜力的认知，尤其是针对气候变化驱动的急性扰动所带来的影响。
EcoRRAP的完整数据集将为RRAP提供大堡礁内各类珊瑚礁生境中，特定区域礁体恢复局限性的相关科学依据。所有研究点位均已获得原住民传统所有者（Traditional Owner）的许可，以及大堡礁海洋公园管理局（Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, GBRMPA）的科研许可。本仓库为EcoRRAP的总仓库，若需了解各数据集的采集、分析与解读细节，请查阅对应数据集的专属仓库。