Scientists have used hundreds of tones of rock and gravel to hand build 30 coral reefs in Papua New Guinea.
Once the artificial reefs were established the scientist simulated degradation of the habitat.
“As you’d expect, the effects of a loss of 75% of the habitat were awful. With most of their home gone, the fish just disappeared,” Dr Bonin said.
Scientist then divided the reefs into areas, finding survival and diversity rates improved.
The man-made reefs, taking several weeks to build, were able to provide vital information on whether damaged coral reefs could be restored.
Read more at James Cook Univeristy