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Volume 13
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Assessing the Effectiveness of 3D-Printed Ceramic Structures for Coral Restoration: Growth, Survivorship, and Biodiversity Using Visual Surveys and eDNA

by
Vriko Yu
1,†,
Alison D. Corley
1,†,
Horace Lau
1,
Philip D. Thompson
1,
Zhongyue Wilson Wan
1,
Jane C. Y. Wong
1,
Zoe Kwan Ting Wong
2,
Louise Wai Hung Li
2,
Shelby E. McIlroy
1,3 and
David M. Baker
1,*
1
School of Biological Sciences, The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
2
Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Hong Kong, China
3
Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to the work and should be considered as joint first author.
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(9), 1605; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13091605
Submission received: 22 July 2025 / Revised: 18 August 2025 / Accepted: 20 August 2025 / Published: 22 August 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Marine Ecology)
Review Reports Versions Notes

Abstract

Coral reef degradation has spurred the development of artificial structures to mitigate losses in coral cover. These structures serve as substrates for coral transplantation, with the expectation that growing corals will attract reef-associated taxa—while the substrate’s ability to directly support biodiversity is often neglected. We evaluated a novel 3D-printed modular tile made of porous terra cotta, designed with complex surface structures to enhance micro- and cryptic biodiversity, through a restoration project in Hong Kong. Over four years, we monitored 378 outplanted coral fragments using diver assessments and photography, while biodiversity changes were assessed through visual surveys and eDNA metabarcoding. Coral survivorship was high, with 88% survival after four years. Visual surveys recorded seven times more fish and almost 60% more invertebrates at the restoration site compared to a nearby unrestored area. eDNA analyses revealed a 23.5% higher eukaryote ASV richness at the restoration site than the unrestored site and 13.3% greater richness relative to a natural reference coral community. This study highlights the tiles’ dual functionality: (1) supporting coral growth and (2) enhancing cryptic biodiversity, an aspect often neglected in traditional reef restoration efforts. Our findings underscore the potential of 3D-printed ceramic structures to improve both coral restoration outcomes and broader reef ecosystem recovery.
Keywords: coral restoration; artificial reefs; environmental DNA (eDNA); ecosystem monitoring; coral reefs; coral transplantation coral restoration; artificial reefs; environmental DNA (eDNA); ecosystem monitoring; coral reefs; coral transplantation

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Yu, V.; Corley, A.D.; Lau, H.; Thompson, P.D.; Wan, Z.W.; Wong, J.C.Y.; Wong, Z.K.T.; Li, L.W.H.; McIlroy, S.E.; Baker, D.M. Assessing the Effectiveness of 3D-Printed Ceramic Structures for Coral Restoration: Growth, Survivorship, and Biodiversity Using Visual Surveys and eDNA. J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13, 1605. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13091605

AMA Style

Yu V, Corley AD, Lau H, Thompson PD, Wan ZW, Wong JCY, Wong ZKT, Li LWH, McIlroy SE, Baker DM. Assessing the Effectiveness of 3D-Printed Ceramic Structures for Coral Restoration: Growth, Survivorship, and Biodiversity Using Visual Surveys and eDNA. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering. 2025; 13(9):1605. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13091605

Chicago/Turabian Style

Yu, Vriko, Alison D. Corley, Horace Lau, Philip D. Thompson, Zhongyue Wilson Wan, Jane C. Y. Wong, Zoe Kwan Ting Wong, Louise Wai Hung Li, Shelby E. McIlroy, and David M. Baker. 2025. "Assessing the Effectiveness of 3D-Printed Ceramic Structures for Coral Restoration: Growth, Survivorship, and Biodiversity Using Visual Surveys and eDNA" Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 13, no. 9: 1605. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13091605

APA Style

Yu, V., Corley, A. D., Lau, H., Thompson, P. D., Wan, Z. W., Wong, J. C. Y., Wong, Z. K. T., Li, L. W. H., McIlroy, S. E., & Baker, D. M. (2025). Assessing the Effectiveness of 3D-Printed Ceramic Structures for Coral Restoration: Growth, Survivorship, and Biodiversity Using Visual Surveys and eDNA. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 13(9), 1605. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13091605

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