Enhancing in situ coral feeding with a programmable underwater light

Coral reefs are facing rapid decline in the face of climate change, ocean warming and acidification, and local anthropogenic stressors. Active coral restoration efforts coupled with technological intervention are becoming increasingly critical to aid the preservation of corals.

UZELA^TM can increase adult coral feeding by 10–50-fold, increase adult growth in nursery settings, and doubles survivorship and quadruples growth of juvenile corals. As such, this device is a promising, cost-effective tool that can be implemented in coral nurseries to accelerate growth and reduce the grow-out period needed prior to out-planting. Additionally, it can be used in targeted areas of damaged reefs, high-priority reefs expected to undergo a stressful event, and endangered coral species. Thus, UZELA^TM is a tool that can be used now to enhance coral growth, restoration success, and reef ecosystem functions.