--Guangxi Institute of Marine Science and Technology assists in rescuing a batch of live corals

Lin Mingqing and Wang Xin (Contributors)

August 28, 2024August 28, 2024, a cross-city relay about life and hope was quietly staged in three cities in the mountains and seas of southern Guangxi. At about 5:00 p.m., the Coral Reef Ecological Protection and Restoration Innovation Team of Guangxi Academy of Marine Sciences received an urgent call from the Fangchenggang Mangrove Protection Association, which turned out to be the Chongzuo Municipal Agricultural and Rural Affairs Bureau seized a batch of live stony corals entering Chongzuo City, but the association's existing technical force could not complete this urgent and difficult task alone, and it hoped that the team would provide support and help. After briefly understanding the situation, the innovative team did not hesitate for a second and expressed their willingness to go all out to participate in the rescue. Considering that the seized corals had been packed and stored for at least more than 24h, it was not conducive to the survival of the corals to be transported directly from Chongzuo City to Beihai City, which was a long distance away. Compared with Beihai City, Fangchenggang City is closer to Chongzuo City and has more complete marine ecological protection facilities, so it was immediately decided to transport the live coral to Fangchenggang City for rescue. The Fangchenggang Marine Environment Monitoring Station of the State Oceanic Administration (SOA), as the receiving location, was responsible for the temporary feeding and subsequent protection of the coral. Guangxi Academy of Marine Science immediately sent team members to provide technical support and guidance.

After receiving the task, the members of the coral reef ecological protection and restoration innovation team immediately prepared the equipment and materials needed for the rescue and immediately drove from Beihai to Fangchenggang City. Around 9:00 pm, the innovation team members arrived at the State Oceanic Administration Fangchenggang Marine Environment Monitoring Station. Previously, the monitoring station and Fangchenggang Mangrove Protection Association staff have set up a good temporary pool, innovation team members do not dare to delay, immediately join the preparatory work after getting off the car.

Figure 1 Coral temporary rearing pool set up and artificial seawater preparation

At 00:30 on August 29th, the coral transportation vehicle drove more than 200 kilometers and finally arrived at Fangchenggang Marine Environment Monitoring Station from Chongzuo City. As soon as the door of the car was opened, all the personnel immediately unloaded the car and processed it. First of all, put the whole bag of corals into the artificial seawater for over-temperature, so that it can adapt to the new seawater temperature, because the coral in the transportation, the bag of water and artificial seawater there is a temperature difference, over-temperature can play a buffer role. After 15 minutes of overheating, the second step of overwatering is carried out, removing the coral packaging and surface wrappings, placing them in a small amount of artificial seawater to adapt to the new seawater environment, during which dead corals and corals in poor condition are placed separately. After 15 minutes of overwatering, the corals were then put into the temporary pool one by one.

Fig. 2 Coral reef team of Guangxi Academy of Marine Science gave the corals over temperature and water.

After more than 5 hours of unremitting efforts, all the corals were transferred to the temporary pool, all the people were relieved, exhausted face overflowing with joyful smiles.

“If this batch of corals are not rescued in time, it may cause immeasurable impact on marine ecology. Next, experts from Guangxi Academy of Marine Sciences and Fangchenggang Mangrove Protection Association continue to work closely together to carefully care for and protect this batch of living corals.” Dr. Wang Xin, academic leader of the innovation team, said.

At first, the coral's instinctive stress response would shrink its tentacles due to the confined space and the lack of oxygen that could be caused by long hours of transportation. With the passage of time and the improvement of the environment, the coral's tentacles began to slowly stretch and sway freely in the water, and the original dull body color also regained its original color.

Fig. 3 Coral regained its color after rescue

Fig. 4 Staff of Fangchenggang Marine Environment Monitoring Station transferred the corals in the temporary pond to the marine ecological aquaculture system built at a later stage.

After the identification of this batch of coral, for the coral belonging to local species, the innovation team will join the relevant departments to return to nature; coral belonging to exotic species will be placed in the laboratory to cultivate for scientific research and popularization of science.

September 5, coral reef innovation team jointly with the State Oceanic Administration Fangchenggang Marine Environmental Monitoring Station, Fangchenggang Mangrove Protection Association, will be identified as a local species of coral horn horn hole coral part of the release, so that it returns to nature.

Figure 5 Coral Reef Innovation Team releases some local species from the rescued corals