coral conservationbiodegradable technologymarine ecosystemResearchers in South Florida are using biodegradable drinking straws to create protective “Coral Forts” that shield infant corals from predatory fish, significantly improving their survival rates.
The innovative approach, named 'Coral Fort,' developed by Kyle Pisano and Kirk Dotson, utilizes biopolymer-made biodegradable cages that dissolve in the ocean after serving their protective purpose, increasing transplanted coral survival rates from less than 40% to over 90%. This method offers a promising solution to the global decline of coral populations, highlighted by the project's potential scalability and its positive environment impact by reducing maintenance efforts and material waste.