Coral restoration: roles of shelter for herbivores and reef state in early recruitment success

hypotheses, results from this study still suggest that recruit and juvenile corals are most likely to thrive in reef environments with sufficient herbivory and lower nutrients that fertilize algal growth. We conclude that further place-based management of herbivores is needed to replenish herbivore populations, increase the effectiveness of coral restoration efforts, and enhance natural coral recovery on Hawaiian reefs.