What is Biorock technology?

Once the biorock is well-installed, reef gardeners and biorock volunteers attach live coral to the steel structure. Now the low-voltage current starts an electrolytic rection, which in turn helps form a substance made of calcium carbonate around the metal. This provides a sturdy surface for corals to stick to. This low voltage also promotes the corals grow faster and stronger than on natural reefs.

In a successful application of this technique, Gili Eco Trust restored the beautiful coral reefs of Gili Trawangan in Indonesia in a short period. Biologists carrying out this experiment say that these man-made reefs resist bleaching of corals better than natural reefs. They give data from severe bleaching events of 2009, 2010 and 2016 as proof. More than 120 structures have been placed in the waters around the Gili Islands, promoting the growth of new corals and a vast array of fish life.

According to reports, the biorock looks like a speed-breaker. A big motorbike was left on top of one such biorock. This was soon covered in coral, with tropical fish moving in and out of the steel bars and in between the spokes of its wheels. The steel frame has a mild current passing through it and slowly leaves a coating of thin rock. This coating is the “nursery” for coral reefs “which have been damaged by human activity.”

All these electrically-charged biorock structures are in Gili Trawangan, one of three small islands northwest of Lombok in the Indonesian archipelago. Tourists found out about this unique experiment and in no time, this place has become a big tourist attraction. Tourists learn how smart technology may help safeguard some of the world’s natural wonders.

 

Picture Credit : Google