Reef coral protection structure

Abstract

A coral predator exclusion device (PED) is presented that is comprised of a coral protection structure ("CPS") with a top surface shaped like a half-sphere or cabochon. The CPS has a plurality of dentations on the top surface for placement of coral plugs. Disposed around the dentations are biodegradable pins The pins may be formed with the CPS or they may be attached to the CPS after the CPS is formed.

Description

REEF CORAL PROTECTION STRUCTURECROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims priority to and the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 562,359, filed March 7, 2024, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention is directed to a system for promoting coral growth, and more particularly, for protecting coral from predatory animals such as parrotfish, sea urchins, snails or other corallivores for a time period to enable sufficient growth, and reducing the need for maintenance of the system, particularly when the need for the system no longer exists.

[0002] Coral reefs are a living organism, and they are dying. There is great effort to replace the dying coral with new coral. One method and structure is to replant coral with coral grown on shore. However, this coral requires time to take root and develop sufficient maturity to prevent its dying from corallivores such as parrotfish. As is known in the art, corallivores eat coral and the things that live within the coral. Mature coral can withstand this symbiotic relationship. However, the corallivores harm and can destroy the less mature coral; killing them off before they reach maturity and are sufficiently sized to survive a corallivore attack.

[0003] It is known in the art to build a fence, tent or mesh cage around the coral preventing corallivores such as parrotfish from approaching the coral while the coral takes root and matures. While this prior art solution has been satisfactory, these fences are made from lasting materials such as PVC, steel or bamboo, and are arrayed about the coral. They keep the corallivores away, but promote macroalgae, which is harmful to coral and other fauna and flora associated with acoral reef; destroying the eco system. As a result, these prior art barriers require man-hours to clean the fence during use and then remove the fence once the coral has sufficiently matured. Additionally, once the cage was removed the newly exposed coral was heavily predated.

[0004] Accordingly, a coral predator exclusion device (PED) which overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art is desired.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The disclosed device is a predator exclusion device (PED) having a coral protection structure (CPS) with a convex generally dome-shaped top surface for promoting coral growth and fusion and decreasing or preventing predation by corallivores.

[0006] Coral plugs are disposed on the CPS in dentations. A plurality of pins are attached to the CPS or formed as part of the CPS about the coral; each pin of the plurality of pins being biodegradable in seawater. The number of pins, the height of each pin and the spacing between adjacent pins being optimized.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSFig. 1 is a top plan view of an embodiment of the invention including the pins.Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the invention including the pins.Fig. 3 is a sectional side view of an embodiment of the invention including some but not all of the pins.Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of an embodiment of the invention.Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of an embodiment of the invention and an unattached pin.Fig. 6 is a side view of an embodiment of the invention showing the placement of coral plugs.Fig. 7 is a partial sectional view of an embodiment of the invention illustrating an embodiment for attaching the pins of the invention.Fig. 8 is a view of an embodiment of a pin hole and dentation arrangement made in accordance with the invention.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] FIGS. 1 through 3 are illustrative schematic drawings of a predator exclusion device (“PED”) 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0008] The PED 10 includes a coral protection structure (“CPS”) 12 acting as a base for coral protection with coral protection elements. The CPS 12 has a top surface 22 that is generally in the shape of a dome or cabochon. The specific dome or cabochon shape is not required, but it allows growing coral fragments disposed on the CPS 12 ultimately to take on the shape of a boulder coral once they are fused together. For example, the top surface 22 of the CPS 12 may be in the shape of a half sphere or a smaller section of a sphere.

[0009] The CPS 12 may be made of cement or other similar material. For example, the CPS 12 may be made from polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), bamboo, wood, bone, antler, concrete, polylactic acid (PLA), PVC, CPVC, iron or iron alloys, titanium, HDPE or nylon.

[0010] In a preferred non-limiting embodiment, the CPS 12 is pervious, having a porosity of about 30% or more. Moreover, in a preferred non-limiting embodiment, the CPS 12 should be made of concrete and cured so that is has a pH of between 7.5 and 10, for the promotion of the deposition of calcium carbonate, essential for stony coral health and growth. In a preferred non-limiting embodiment, a CPS 12 may have a radius from about 4 inches up to about 10 inches. However, a CPS 12 with a larger diameter is also within the scope of the invention.

[0011] As shown in FIG 4, the CPS 12 has a bottom surface 14. The bottom surface 14 may have structure, such as shape and size for providing increased surface area such as grooves, protrusions or indentations 16. The increased surface area on the bottom surface 14 facilitates a strong bond to a cement or epoxy that may be used to adhere the CPS 12 to a reef substrate. In a preferred nonlimiting embodiment, the bottom surface 14 would have a surface area approximately 30-40% greater than the top surface 22 of the CPS.

[0012] Two or more dentations 18 are formed on the top surface 22 of the CPS 12. The CPS 12 includes dentations 18 for the insertion of coral plugs 20. The coral plugs 20 include living coral fragments. Spacing of the dentations 18 may preferably be uniform, but spacing will depend upon the radius of the CPS 12 as well as the exact size of the dentations 18 themselves.

[0013] In a preferred and non-limiting embodiment, the dentations 18 for the coral plugs 20 are spaced about 0.75 cm from each other to optimize future fusing of the coral plugs 20. The coral plugs 20 are attached to the CPS 12 at the dentations 18. The number of dentations 18 is preferably dependent upon the size of the CPS 12. Alarger CPS 12 can hold more dentations 18 and therefore more coral plugs 20. For example, in a preferred non-limiting embodiment, the CPS 12 with a radius of 4 inches may have 3 to 5 dentations 18 suitable for coral plugs. A CPS 12 with a radius of 6 inches may have 8 to 15 dentations 18. A CPS 12 with a radius of 8 inches may have 10 to 30 dentations 18. A CPS 12 with a radius of 10 inches may have 12 to 100 dentations 18.

[0014] The coral plugs 20 are preferably cut from the same parent coral. The cut can be performed using equipment such as a band saw. In a preferred embodiment, the surface area of the attaching side of the coral plugs 20 may range in size from 1 cm2to 6 cm2. On the CPS 12, the coral plugs20 grow and eventually fuse together to make one coral head, fusion occurs because the fragments are genetically identical.

[0015] The dentations 18 may be any shape, but in a preferred non-limiting embodiment are circular or square, with circles ranging from %” inch in diameter up to 2 inches. Square dentations 18 may be from3Zi x3Zi inch to 2 inches x 2 inches. The depth of the dentations 18 in a preferred non-limiting embodiment, is about 'A inch or less. The dentations 18 may be positioned anywhere on a top surface 22 of the CPS, and may be positioned less than % inch from the base of a halfsphere.

[0016] As seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, the PED 10 includes pins 24 incorporated into the structure of the CPS 12 at fabrication of the CPS 12 or attached to the CPS 12 after the CPS 12 is fabricated. The pins 24 themselves may be fabricated as part of the CPS 12 or may be attached to the CPS 12 in situ or after the CPS 12 is fabricated. The pins 24 may be fabricated as part of the CPS 12 or may be attached to the CPS 12. The pins 24 may be elongated, in the shape of straws or rods. The pins 24 extend outward from the top surface 22 of the CPS 12.

[0017] As shown in Figs. 1-3 and 5-8, the pins 24 are attached to the CPS 12. The pins 24 may be placed on the periphery of the CPS 12 or elsewhere on the top surface 22 of the CPS 12, around and / or between the dentations 18. The pins 24 may be attached in any way known in the art. In one preferred method, the pins 24 are cast directly into the CPS 12. In another preferred method, the pins 24 are placed directly into CPS 12 as the cement of the CPS 12 is curing.

[0018] The pins 24 may alternatively be fitted into the CPS 12 after the CPS 12 is fabricated using a pin hole 26 formed or cast into the CPS 12. At the time of fabrication two or more pin holes 26 are formed or cast into the CPS about the top surface 22. As shown in FIGS 7 and 8 a pin 24 may be attached to the CPS 12 using a tapered compression fitting 28. In the taperedcompression fitting 28 the geometry of the surface of the pin hole 26 allows a pin 24 to be pushed into the pin hole 26 but frictionally fitted to be difficult, if not impossible, to pull out. As another alternative embodiment, the pins 24 and the pin holes 26 may each be threaded so that pins 24 may be screwed into the CPS 12 using complementary threading.

[0019] The pins 24 degrade over time to eventually expose the grown coral plugs 24. The pins 24 may be made with incorporated polyhydroxyalkanoate (“PHA”) or a similar biodegradable material. The spacing, size and geometry of the pins 24 on the CPS 12 permit water to pass between the pins 24 while helping prevent corallivores, or coral predators, such as parrotfish, from grazing on newly planted corals. The time when corals are newly planted is a time of heightened predation. After 1 to 6 months, and preferably an estimated 5 to 6 months in one preferred non-limiting embodiment, the pins 24 biodegrade, leaving the corals growing from the coral plugs free to grow and integrate with one another after the heightened predation period has ended. PHA is a preferred material because PHA is known to be biodegradable in seawater. Other biodegradable materials known in the art are also contemplated for use in the pins 24.

[0020] In a preferred non-limiting embodiment, the pins 24 may be from about 1cm to about 8cm apart from one another. The height of the pins may vary from 3 cm to 30cm, and in one preferred embodiment are approximately 5 cm to 10 cm in length. The pins may be completely or partially solid or hollow. The pins 24 also may have a relatively small diameter.

[0021] If the pin is solid, like a spike, the range of thickness is the diameter of the pin cross section is approximately 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm. If the pin 24 is hollow, the wall of the pin will have a thickness of approximately 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm.

[0022] In a preferred non limiting embodiment, the coral plugs 18 are selected to grow more slowly than the rate at which the pins 24 degrade.

[0023] One preferred method of forming the PED 10 is as follows: the CPS 12 is formed as a half sphere, preferably of non-leaching cement. The pins are placed into the CPS during the formation of the CPS. Dentations are patterned along the top surface 22 of the CPS 12, amongst the pins 24, sufficiently spaced to anchor, acting as a coral lock, a coral plug to the CPS. The pins 24 form a barrier about the coral plugs with sufficient space to allow water to pass between them and simultaneously prevent corallivores from passing between the pins 24.

[0024] Coral fragments are cut with bandsaws from the same parent coral and placed in the dentations, the coral fragments grow and eventually fuse together to make one coral head.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed:

1. A coral predator exclusion device (PED) comprising: a coral protection structure (“CPS”), having a top surface the shape of one of the group of a half sphere and a cabochon; a bottom surface, a plurality of dentations on the top surface; and a plurality of pins disposed on the top surface, wherein at least one pin is biodegradable.

2. The PED of claim 1, wherein the bottom surface of the CPS includes at least one of grooves, indentations and protrusions.

3. The PED of claim 1, wherein the shape of at least one dentation is of one of a square and a circle.

4. The PED of claim 3, wherein at least one dentation is square, the at least one dentation being % inch x % inch to 2 inches x 2 inches.

5. The PED of claim 1, wherein at least one pin is solid, the at least one pin has a thickness in a cross section being approximately 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm.

6. The PED of claim 1, wherein at least one pin is hollow and the at least one pin has a wall, the wall having a thickness being approximately 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm.

7. The PED of claim 1, wherein at least one dentations is spaced about 0.75 cm from a second dentation.

8. The PED of claim 1, wherein the CPS is formed by a curing concrete having a pH of between 7.5 and 10 when cured.

9. The PED of claim 8, wherein at least one pin is attached to the top surface of the CPS while the curing concrete is curing.

10. The PED of claim 1, wherein at least one pin has a length of 3cm to 30cm.

11. A coral predator exclusion device (PED) comprising: a dome-shaped coral protection structure (“CPS”), having a curved top surface and a bottom surface; a plurality of dentations disposed in the top surface; and a plurality of pin holes disposed in the top surface.

12. The PED of claim 11, wherein the pin holes comprise means for attaching pins to the top surface of the CPS.

13. The PED of claim 12, wherein at least one pin hole is spaced about 1cm to about 8cm apart from a second pinhole.

14. The PED of claim 11, wherein at least one pin hole is configured to secure a respective solid pin, the solid pin having a thickness in a cross section of approximately 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm.

15. The PED of claim 11, wherein at least one pin hole is configured to secure a respective hollow pin, the hollow pin having a wall, the wall having a thickness of approximately 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm.

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