EcoReefs are Cost-Effective

EcoReefs marine ecological enhancements are highly cost-effective.

EcoReefs creates better habitat for fish and invertebrates, especially coral, than any other type of artificial reef.
EcoReefs uses non-toxic materials and meets the ecological needs of reef organisms, for faster reef establishment.
EcoReefs covers more area with high quality structure at a lower cost per organism compared to other methods.
EcoReefs can be scaled large enough to positively impact water flow, sediment transport, and biological richness.
EcoReefs can be used with other complementary organisms (seagrass, oysters) in integrated coastal zone treatments.

A study by Apostolakos et al (2007) compared a variety of reef restoration methods in Indonesia, including tire reefs, rock piles, coral branch tips ("coral nubbins") transplanted onto bare substrate, electrified BioRock reefs, EcoReefs, and a "do nothing" control.

EcoReefs was found to be the most ecologically effective solution owing to the high amount (1.27m²) of useable surface area per module combined with the high suitability of ceramic for invertebrate settlement.

The results, summarized in the charts below, demonstrate the superior performance of EcoReefs installations.

At hectare scale (10,000 m²), EcoReefs covers 84% of the site with useable substrate for invertebrate settlement-- more than twice the surface area of next best method (left chart). EcoReefs had the highest abundance of recruited fish and coral, with an estimated 240,000 individuals per hectare-- seven times more organisms the next best method (center chart). Factoring organismic abundance (fish plus coral) against project cost, EcoReefs is by far the most cost effective with an average cost of US$2.10 per organism recruited -- one-third the cost of the next best method (right chart).

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Key Concepts