Human-made underwater structure that functions as a reef
An artificial reef (AR) is a human-created freshwater or marine benthic structure.[1]
Typically built in areas with a generally featureless bottom to promote marine life, it may be intended to control erosion, protect coastal areas, block ship passage, block the use of trawling nets,[2] support reef restoration, improve aquaculture, or enhance scuba diving and surfing.[3] Early artificial reefs were built by the Persians and the Romans.
An opportunity artificial reef is built from objects that were intended for other purposes,[4] such as sinking oil rigs (through the Rigs-to-Reefs program), scuttling ships, or by deploying rubble or construction debris. Shipwrecks may become artificial reefs when preserved on the seafloor. A conventional artificial reef uses materials such as concrete, which can be molded into specialized forms (e.g. reef balls). Green artificial reefs incorporate renewable and organic materials such as vegetable fibres and seashells to improve sustainability and reduce energy consumption, pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions.[4] In some cases, artificial reefs have been developed as artworks.
Artificial reefs generally provide hard surfaces where algae and invertebrates such as barnacles, corals, and oysters attach and spaces where different sizes of fishes can hide. The accumulation of attached marine life in turn provides intricate structures and food for assemblages of fish.[1][5] The ecological impact of an artificial reef depends on multiple factors including where it is situated, how it is constructed, and the ages and types of species involved.[6][7][8]
Considerable research is being done into construction methods and the effects of artificial reefs.[3][8][9] Many of the materials used early on are now considered undesirable.[6] A 2001 literature review suggested that about half of the reefs studied met their objectives.[10] Long-term planning and ongoing management were identified as essential factors in success.[10][11][9]
A more recent analysis of reefs world wide between 1990 and 2020 concludes that artificial reefs can be useful tools for restoring marine ecosystems if they are strategically designed to suit their specific location and its resource needs.[6]
^ abSeaman, Jr, William (22 October 2013). Artificial Habitats for Marine and Freshwater Fisheries. Academic Press. ISBN 978-0-08-057117-1.
^Gray, Denis D. (June 2, 2018). "Cambodia volunteers step up battle against illegal fishing". Nikkei Asia. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
^ abCite error: The named reference Airoldi was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ abCarral, Luis; Camba Fabal, Carolina; Lamas Galdo, Mª Isabel; Rodríguez-Guerreiro, Mª Jesús; Cartelle Barros, Juan José (28 November 2020). "Assessment of the Materials Employed in Green Artificial Reefs for the Galician Estuaries in Terms of Circular Economy". International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 17 (23): 8850. doi:10.3390/ijerph17238850. PMC 7730678. PMID 33260753.
^Bakx, Kyle (May 28, 2023). "Concrete solutions Fishermen are sinking boats and dumping concrete in the Gulf of Mexico — to save the fish". CBC News.
^ abcCite error: The named reference Bracho-Villavicencio was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Komyakova, Valeriya; Chamberlain, Dean; Swearer, Stephen E. (1 November 2021). "A multi-species assessment of artificial reefs as ecological traps". Ecological Engineering. 171: 106394. doi:10.1016/j.ecoleng.2021.106394. ISSN 0925-8574.
^ abMacura, Biljana; Byström, Pär; Airoldi, Laura; Eriksson, Britas Klemens; Rudstam, Lars; Støttrup, Josianne G. (12 March 2019). "Impact of structural habitat modifications in coastal temperate systems on fish recruitment: a systematic review". Environmental Evidence. 8 (1): 14. Bibcode:2019EnvEv...8...14M. doi:10.1186/s13750-019-0157-3. hdl:11577/3401331. ISSN 2047-2382. S2CID 84831487.
^ abLima, Juliano Silva; Zalmon, Ilana Rosental; Love, Milton (1 March 2019). "Overview and trends of ecological and socioeconomic research on artificial reefs". Marine Environmental Research. 145: 81–96. Bibcode:2019MarER.145...81L. doi:10.1016/j.marenvres.2019.01.010. ISSN 0141-1136. PMID 30837123. S2CID 73481444.
^ abBaine, Mark (January 2001). "Artificial reefs: a review of their design, application, management and performance". Ocean & Coastal Management. 44 (3–4): 241–259. Bibcode:2001OCM....44..241B. doi:10.1016/S0964-5691(01)00048-5.
^Brochier, Timothée; Brehmer, Patrice; Mbaye, Adama; Diop, Mamadou; Watanuki, Naohiko; Terashima, Hiroaki; Kaplan, David; Auger, Pierre (17 August 2021). "Successful artificial reefs depend on getting the context right due to complex socio-bio-economic interactions". Scientific Reports. 11 (1): 16698. Bibcode:2021NatSR..1116698B. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-95454-0. ISSN 2045-2322. PMC 8371003. PMID 34404822.
An artificialreef (AR) is a human-created freshwater or marine benthic structure. Typically built in areas with a generally featureless bottom to promote...
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Half Ironman triathlon. New Zealand's first artificialreef was installed at the Mount. Construction of the reef was hampered by lack of funds and ironically...
2011. Retrieved March 7, 2009. Orkin Emmanuel, Lisa (May 12, 2008). "Artificialreef near Miami is cemetery, and more". Associated Press. Retrieved March...
waves. An artificialreef known as Chevron Reef was constructed in El Segundo, California in hopes of creating a new surfing area. However, the reef failed...
scuttled to form artificialreef". Cyprus Mail. 28 February 2015. Retrieved 30 January 2018. "Vessel Scuttled in Ayia Napa to Form ArtificialReef". goldnews...
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The ArtificialReef Society of British Columbia (ARSBC) is a registered non-profit society based in Vancouver, British Columbia (BC), and has been a registered...
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A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate...
restrict navigation through a channel or within a harbor; to provide an artificialreef for divers and marine life; or to alter the flow of rivers. The Skuldelev...
codification for the construction, habitat settings, and monitoring of artificialreefs in the United States maritime boundary. The Act of Congress declares...
Redbird Reef is an artificialreef located in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Slaughter Beach, Delaware, 16 miles (25.7 km) east of the Indian River...
construction debris. Other artificialreefs are purpose-built (e.g. the reef balls) from PVC or concrete. Shipwrecks may become artificialreefs when preserved on...
are found on a Navy ship that’s about to be retired and turned into artificialreef. Knight and Parker get trapped when a suspect locks them in. Meanwhile...
(built 2002) - scuttled off coast of Delaware on November 4, 2019 for artificialreef "General Information Archived 2012-01-21 at the Wayback Machine." American...
Global Information