Coral relocation supports survival and growth in an urban reef of the Maldives

Coral reefs provide essential ecosystem services and livelihoods, particularly for small island nations like the Maldives. However, they are increasingly threatened by climate change and coastal modification. In 2022, the Greater Malé Connectivity Project (GMCP) commenced in North Malé Atoll, involving large-scale land reclamation and marine construction that affected adjacent coral reefs. As a mitigation measure, coral colonies were relocated to the reef surrounding Villimalé Island. Over two years of monitoring, relocated corals showed encouraging performance despite challenging environmental conditions. Overall survival reached 66%, with larger colonies outperforming smaller fragments and Pocillopora generally exhibiting higher growth and thermal resistance than Acropora. Growth rates declined with rising sea surface temperature, and mortality was primarily associated with tissue-loss responses rather than predation or ectosymbiotic colonisation. Health trajectories differed among coral types: Acropora fragments were more prone to bleaching, whereas Pocillopora colonies maintained tissue integrity but experienced chronic degradation. Despite these biological interactions and health challenges, many corals acclimatised to the urban reef environment, underscoring that coral relocation, when combined with species selection and size consideration, can serve as a viable short-term conservation tool in highly impacted systems.