Monday, January 17, 2000
Cultivating coral
Newport Aquarium biologists dive for their colorful treasure in Fiji
BY TERRY FLYNN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
David Babb examines a section of soft red coral during one of more than a dozen dives he made in an October trip to the Fiji Islands.
(Steve Miller photo)
| ZOOM |
|
A 25-foot-long coral reef in the South Pacific probably took about 200 years to develop, but a similar size man-made reef has grown at the Oceanic Adventures Newport Aquarium in just three months.
Two of the aquarium's aquatic biologists, David Babb and Erika Schissler, condensed nature's clock by traveling halfway around the world to the Fiji Islands to collect some 75 varieties of live coral that have found a new home in Newport.
Using a reef-like rock structure already in place in a 27-foot-long, 5,000-gallon tank in the aquarium's Bizarre and Beautiful Gallery, Mr. Babb has painstakingly re-created some of the coral formations he saw in Fiji.
“It was fascinating to see the same types of coral in their natural, wild setting that I had in tanks at home,” he said. “It was amazing to see how big it gets in the ocean.”
Mr. Babb is a senior aquatic biologist and coral expert. Ms. Schissler is the aquarium's water quality specialist. They worked with coral collection experts from Sea Dwelling Creatures of Hawthorne, Calif., for a week in October in relatively shallow waters — sometimes 10 feet or less — in the bay near the Fiji capital of Suva.
They spent four days diving on the reefs, locating and retrieving small sections of coral. The coral was transported to a special warehouse in Suva, the first leg of the journey to the aquarium on the banks of the Ohio River.
“When we collected the coral, we looked for small, isolated pieces,” Mr. Babb said. “We never disturbed the large colonies. In most cases we could just pull the small pieces from the rock.”
The aquarium hopes to educate people about the delicate nature of coral (which is an animal, not a plant) and its place in the world ecosystem, at the same time presenting an attractive, multi-colored natural exhibit.
|
AN ISLAND ADVENTURE
|
|
Newport Aquarium senior aquatic biologist David Babb and water quality specialist Erika Schissler expected an adventure when they traveled to the Fiji Islands to collect coral for the aquarium's newest exhibit. And they have fond memories of their brief stay in the exotic South Pacific location, replete with stunning sunsets and friendly Fiji Islanders.
But they hadn't counted on spending the night drifting in a small boat without power in the Pacific Ocean.
“We were working with a local islander who took us out to the reefs in his boat, about a 20-footer,” Mr. Babb recalled. “Our first day out, the engine just quit. We spent the night on the reefs.”
While the captain worked to repair and restart the engine, the boat was carried by tide and wind. “Fortunately, we were carried toward land and not out to sea,” Mr. Babb said.
Eventually, a fishing boat from a nearby village returning from a nighttime trip spotted the powerless craft and investigated.
“The villages on the islands maintain strict control of the reefs, and the fishermen came to our boat to find out why we were out there at night,” Mr. Babb said. “It was fortunate. They were really great and took us back to shore.”
Ms. Schissler said that, compared to that first night on the water, the rest of the trip was a breeze.
|
Strict rules on removal
The Fiji reefs are controlled by the nearby villages, and Mr. Babb said village rules are strict as to where the coral can be collected and how much can be removed.
“These people grow their own food, and harvest fish from the reefs,” he said. “They keep very close track of everything that happens to the reefs.”
The coral was placed in large plastic bags with a sufficient amount of sea water to sustain the animals on their 14-hour trip by plane. The first bag was placed inside a second insulating plastic bag, and that was packaged in sealed boxes.
The coral exhibit at the aquarium, which is open while work continues on adding to it, is intended to depict a reef in the Red Sea. Most of the fish that will swim in the tank are Red Sea creatures.
So why was the coral collected in Fiji, midway between Hawaii and Australia, in the South Pacific? The Red Sea, which lies between Egypt and Saudi Arabia stretching from the Suez Canal to the Indian Ocean, isn't as far away.
“There are only so many places in the world where coral collection is permitted,” Mr. Babb explained. “No coral can be taken from the Red Sea, although collection of fish is permitted.”
Similarly, coral collection is forbidden much closer to home, along the Florida Keys which are actually coral islands. Population, pollution and other factors have killed large amounts of coral in Florida Bay and along the Keys.
Carissa Smith, aquatic biologist at the Newport Aquarium, places coral in the Red Sea exhibit.
(Patrick Reddy photo)
| ZOOM |
|
10 percent destroyed
Coral covers less than 1 percent of the world's surface, about 360,000 square miles, yet the limestone reefs built by the tiny animals as protective shells are home and shelter to one of every four known ocean species.
Studies by marine biologists show that as much as 10 percent of the world's coral reefs have already been destroyed, in most cases by man, and some scientists claim that up to 70 percent could be lost in the next 40 years unless measures are taken to protect the coral.
Ms. Schissler brought back water samples that she tested to determine what levels of calcium and other elements were best suited to keeping the coral healthy and happy.
|
CORAL FACTS
|
|
• Coral covers less than 1 percent of the Earth's surface.
• Coral provides food and shelter for one of every four fish in the world.
• It would take 200 years to grow a coral reef 25 feet long.
• Coral has been around for more than 200 million years — before the dinosaurs.
• Coral only grows in 70- to 85-degree water and must have sunlight.
• Coral grows less than 1/2 inch per year.
• 10 percent of the world's coral reefs have been destroyed.
• 70 percent more could be lost within 40 years if preservation does not begin now.
|
“To build their shells, the coral draw calcium from the water,” she said. “We have to check the water in the tank and replace the calcium. It means a lot of testing.”
She said the aquarium's biologists are encouraged by the growth of smaller coral colonies that were started in the aquarium when it opened in May.
“We are seeing good coral growth in the older exhibits, which indicates we're maintaining the proper levels of calcium and nutrients in the water,” she said. Coral feeds on various tiny life forms in the water and, in some cases, on small fish.
She added that if the coral in the larger exhibit flourishes as the aquarium staff hopes, they will eventually be able to share coral with other aquarium facilities around the country. U.S. aquariums have a strong network and regularly share animals and exhibits.
Coral reefs only grow about a half-inch per year. Scientific studies show that the unique little creatures that build reefs — sometimes a hundred miles or more long and thousands of feet thick — have been on the earth for perhaps 200 million years.
Since opening last spring, attendance at the $40 million aquarium has surpassed predictions, passing the 700,000 mark in September and is closing in on 1 million.
Cultivating coral
Sanitation workers recall Dr. King's help
Special events for Martin Luther King Day
Readers irked by pre-election politics as usual
'Millionaire' show in class by itself
Cop in wrong home kills dog
'Hazmat' director is a veteran
Tour at fountain heartens admirers
Bill would alter school fund
Computers enhancing class work
Insurer gives Ohioans a break
Smallmouth bass petition reels in support for state fish
Boone may gain board seat
Mentor opens school door
Police levy on Liberty Twp. ballot
Soffel leads all-star performances in 'Lohen grin'
Teamwork could build facility
GET TO IT
TRISTATE DIGEST
