{"id":52317,"date":"2024-10-30T11:32:37","date_gmt":"2024-10-30T11:32:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/?p=52317"},"modified":"2024-10-30T11:32:37","modified_gmt":"2024-10-30T11:32:37","slug":"new-genetic-web-tool-can-help-restore-climate-resilient-marine-ecosystems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/new-genetic-web-tool-can-help-restore-climate-resilient-marine-ecosystems\/52317\/","title":{"rendered":"New genetic web tool can help restore climate-resilient marine ecosystems"},"content":{"rendered":"
The \u2018Reef Adapt\u2019 initiative, developed by experts from the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (NSW DPIRD), Flinders University, and the University of Western Australia (UWA), aims to expand the tools available to promote diverse, adaptable, and climate-resilient marine ecosystems.<\/p>\n
Reef Adapt harnesses genetic data from diverse marine species<\/a> \u2013 including key reef-building corals and habitat-forming kelps, but with scope to expand to other taxa \u2013 to map out areas likely to harbour populations adapted to current and future environmental conditions.<\/p>\n The innovative web platform is designed to rapidly include genetic, biophysical, and environmental data in planning\u00a0marine restoration and assisted conservation initiatives<\/a>.<\/p>\n The tool provides users with maps identifying areas with populations suited to their specific marine restoration sites under current and future climate scenarios.<\/p>\n The platform will initially house data for 27 species collected from 420 sample locations worldwide. Users will also be able to upload their own data to the site, further supporting the conservation of other species and areas.<\/p>\n While guidelines for terrestrial ecosystem restoration seed-sourcing exist, for example, the US National Seed Strategy and Australia\u2019s Florabank, Reef Adapt is one of the first tools of its kind for marine ecosystems.<\/p>\n The project follows similar projects on land, such as Australia\u2019s NSW Restore and Renew programme<\/a>, to remove barriers to access to genetic data and improve restoration and assisted gene flow.<\/p>\n Dr Georgina Wood, an Australian Research Council Early Career Industry\u00a0 Fellow with Flinders University and Adjunct Research Fellow at UWA, says global efforts to restore ecosystems are intensifying.<\/p>\nIdentifying areas to restore marine ecosystems<\/h3>\n
Intensifying global efforts to restore ecosystems<\/h3>\n