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We studied how to effectively increment new reefs by using fast growing branching Acropora intermedia and A. formosa (tentatively identified) fragments from 1996 to 1998 at Nanwan. In the first part, we want to know under what conditions coral fragments survive and grow fast. We found that longer coral fragments have higher extension rates (cm/30 days) and lower mortality rates due to alga coverage than shorter ones. By cutting the original branches into more fragments would result in higher overall extensiIn the second part, we transplanted coral fragments to two different depths at Tiaoshih. We found the extension rates were higher and new branch initiation was earlier at 5 m than at 10 m depth. And we also tried two large area experiments (15 m2) at Nanwan. One was destroyed by typhoon during the first summer, but the other one at Hobihu was still intact after 13 months. The survival rate was 98.7% in the first six months. And during this period, average extension length was 6.7-8.7 cm per fragment and 11%-1 -aStudy of Reef-building Technology: Regeneration and Growth of Acropora Fragments.
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