Scientists are trying to save the Great Barrier Reef by zapping it with electricity

An environmental group is studying a new way to repair the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) in Australia – they want to use electricity to accelerate coral growth.

Called Reef Ecologic, the group is conducting a trial to see if the technique works, reported New Scientist. This involves the use of steel frames and the passage of electricity through them to stimulate growth.

This idea has existed for some time, with projects in the Caribbean, Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia using electrical stimulation in this way. This last effort will use the same method to try to improve the health of the GBR.

"A low voltage direct current passes through the steel," explains BBC Future in 2015. "This electricity interacts with the minerals present in the seawater and causes the growth of solid limestone on the structure. It is inspired by the principles of electrolysis, where the electric current causes a chemical reaction that would not occur otherwise. "

The Reef Ecologic trial is currently underway in a section of the GBR 100 kilometers north of Cairns. This region has been "badly affected by the coral bleaching events of 2016 and 2017," noted New Scientist. It would take a decade for coral to regrow naturally, but these biorocks could speed up the process.

A study conducted in 2016 found that 93% of the Great Barrier Reef had been affected by bleaching following an episode of massive coral bleaching. Due to climate change, such events could occur at least every five years.

Coral bleaching is usually caused by warmer water temperatures and, as its name suggests, it makes the coral white when the algae in their tissues are expelled. It does not kill the coral, but it makes them much more vulnerable. The United States lost half of its coral reefs in the Caribbean in 2005 due to a major bleaching event.

The currents involved in biorock technology are not harmful to humans or marine organisms. Although the technique has proved effective, the use of low voltage cables from shorelines to reefs is not always easy, although solar and tidal power have made this more feasible.

However, there is little research on its effectiveness. The signs so far are encouraging, however, and climate change is not happening anywhere; there is surely no harm in trying different techniques to save the environment.

(H / T: New Scientist)