Reef Biology

Fragment

The atomic unit of coral restoration — an individual coral cutting propagated in a nursery.

An individual coral cutting propagated in a nursery. The atomic unit of the restoration program.

Each fragment has a lifecycle:

Seeded — cut from a donor colony (mother colony) and attached to a nursery structure
Grown — monitored in the nursery over ~2–3 years, maturing into a whole coral colony with associated fish and invertebrate communities
Outplanted — the whole colony (not the fragment) is transplanted to the reef with its associated species intact

Terminology note: In the data model, the term "fragment" persists through the entire lifecycle. In the methodology, the science team distinguishes between the fragment that enters the nursery and the whole coral colony that is outplanted. Outplanting whole colonies — not fragments — is a core principle, as mature colonies carry associated species communities that kick-start reef ecosystem resilience.

Key measurements per fragment:

Alive / dead — the basis for survival rate
Health score — 1–6 Likert scale
Bleach score — 1–6 Likert scale
Size (L × W × H) — feeds EVI
Donor origin — which donor colony it came from
Species — genus and species (taxon)