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Yongxing Island is a coral reef island formed by the growth and accumulation of corals and other skeletal fragments on a reef platform. The reef flat is developed around the entire island. The southeast reef flat and the north and northwest reef flat are asymmetrical in proportions, showing significant differences in reef‐flat width, patterns of sedimentary and ecological zonation, fore‐reef slope gradients, and submarine geomorphic features. Through application of an underwater survey, measurements and statistics were recorded on the extensional pattern of the Yongxing reef platform, the reef pool, and the spur–groove systems incised on the reef crests and forereefs. It is demonstrated that the Yongxing reef platform is an irregular ovoid in form with a distinct NW‐SE elongation that includes gently and steeply sloping forereefs and fore‐reef slopes. A gradual transition to the deep sea basin occurs in the southeast part of the Yongxing reef platform, whereas a steep forereef and fore‐reef slope that rapidly transition to the deep‐water basin are more characteristic of the north and northwest sectors of the Yongxing reef platform. The width of the reef platform in the southeast direction is much greater than that in the northwest direction. Correspondingly, the developmental pattern of the north and northwest reef crest and forereef is different from that of the southeast reef crests and forereefs. The southeast reef crest and forereef are characterized by reef pools with various shapes, different water depths, and discontinuous tidal channels on the outer reef flat. In contrast, the north and northwest reef crest and forereef developed a typical spur‐and‐groove system. The former is related to coral reef growth and construction, whereas the latter is shaped by wave or tide flow scouring that contributes to substrate erosion. Similar geomorphic features are known from examples of Indian‐Pacific and Caribbean‐Atlantic reef crests and forereefs, but the occurrence of such features in different parts of the same reef platform provides a new example of reef crest and forereef development. The differences in slope gradient of forereef and fore‐reef slopes (gentle vs. steep in transition), the development of contrasting submarine platform widths in different directions, as well as other submarine geomorphic features on reef crests and forereefs around the reef flats of Yongxing Island may be related to the confluence of several factors. These include the tectonic uplift of reef platform, the island's initial underwater topography, the windward and leeward positions, the direction and strength of winter and summer monsoon, the sea‐water dynamics, and the substrate characteristics related to coral reef growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In situnurseries have been a crucial part of coral reef restoration initiatives for the past two decades. However, the advantages over direct transplantation in sedimented waters has yet to be examined. In the present study, we showed thatPachyseris speciosaandPocillopora damicornisfragments reared inin situnurseries (NR) in Singapore’s sedimented waters grew significantly faster (by three to five times) than those which were directly transplanted (DT) onto the substrates. The increased growth rate during the nursery phase augmented the size of NR transplants, and had a flow-on effect on their performance during the post-transplantation phase. Overall, the maximum diameter of the NR transplants was 1.8–2.7 times larger than DT transplants after 11 months. The growth enhancement of the nursery-reared transplants improved the cost-effectiveness of our restoration effort: the estimated cost per centimetre growth of NR transplants was one-fifth of the DT corals despite the additional costs incurred to construct the nurseries. These results highlight that coral nurseries are beneficial to reef restoration in chronically sedimented waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a comparison of the climate change prevention strategies that have been implemented to protect the coral reefs in Australia and France as of January 2012, focusing on Australia's Great Barrier Reef, the potential impact of overfishing on coral reefs, and unsustainable coastal development. Australian and French marine management systems and the establishment of Marine Protected Areas are addressed, along with ecosystem governance and the economic aspects of climate change.

The article reports that while coral reef degradation has been extensively documented, the fate of other reef-associated metazoans such as invertebrate animals has not received sufficient attention. It mentions that coral reefs provide essential habitat niches for an estimated 93,000 global species richness grouped into 31 animal phyla, many are undiscovered because of their cryptic or sibling nature. The article also warns of a large-scale extinction following the loss of reef corals.

The article focuses on the use of ecological metrics and data on consolidated reef area in strengthening conservation of environmentally threatened coral reefs around the world. Topics discussed include the extent of coral reef decline based on various studies, the limitation of using local-scale ecological estimates, and the use of multi-spectral satellite imagery in quantifying coral reef coverage. The role of international non-governmental organizations in reef conservation is mentioned.

The article points out that the coral reefs in the world are in trouble and that the International Year of the Reef (IYOR) in 2008 is essential. It observed that there are two serious problems that threaten coral reefs. First, the introduction of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere has changed the ocean's acidity and temperature. The other problem is that coral reefs remain unprotected and are being harvested in many areas.