Coral reef, seagrass, and mangrove ecosystems are critical sources of food, coastal protection, and cultural value. These ecosystems are facing diverse threats including overfishing, coastal development, disease outbreaks and climate change. While these threats can be daunting, we can reverse the damage of many anthropogenic impacts and build resilience through active ecosystem restoration. As part of the Elkhorn Marine Conservancy, we are building a coastal restoration program that aims to not only revive Antigua’s marine ecosystems, but also contribute to advancing scientific knowledge and to build awareness and expertise in our communities through educational and training opportunities.

Our restoration work will focus on integrating keystone species to build resilient systems. For example, coral reef ecosystems rely heavily on herbivores to graze down algae that otherwise outcompete corals. Many of these herbivores have been lost in the Caribbean due to overfishing of herbivorous fish such as parrotfish, as well as a massive disease outbreak among Diadema antillarum (long-spined) sea urchins in 1983-1984 that killed 99% of their regional population. We have been experimenting with the potential to transplant Diadema and look forward to experimenting with the use of both Diadema and Mithrax crab species in enhancing restoration success. In seagrass and mangrove ecosystems, we plan to utilize additional keystone species such as Lobatus gigas (queen conch) and Crassostrea rhizophorae (mangrove oysters) to rebuild the health of our coastline.

Collaborators & acknowledgements: Dr. Megan Davis, Ruleo Camacho,