Using Art & Science to Restore Coral Reef Habitats

2019, September - Although coral reefs cover a very small part of the ocean, they are responsible for creating habitat for over 25 percent of marine species — and they are dying at an alarming rate across the globe. 

By integrating art, science, and technology, Colleen Flanigan's work is playing a part to save our coral reefs.  "In our short lifespan, how much do we value living in harmony and beauty and abundance with what we've been given?" 

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2019, January - Colleen puts her 1st UCSC "accumulets" in the tanks. 

Low volt direct current flowing through seawater will precipitate minerals to accumulate onto metal. We can construct marine habitats with this electrolysis process to help revive endangered coral reefs. 

In a UCSC wet lab we are experimenting with various forms to learn more about the process as we design new Living Sea Sculptures to benefit biodiverse ocean ecosystems.  

Join in on the process here on Patreon. 

Time-lapse of coral feeding behavior. Working with Dr. Don Potts at the Marine Lab at UCSC, Colleen Flanigan has been staging time-lapse in collaboration with Stage 13 in Portland, OR. Here you can see 3 different setups of corals with the intention of observing their feeding behavior and cycles, along with whatever else we would discover. A photograph was taken every 15 seconds.

2019, June - Balanophyllia elegans adult and juveniles at the UCSC Marine Lab are shown eating here over a period of hours. A shot was taken every 15 seconds. Brine shrimp were added to the tank to witness their feeding behavior. This was a collaboration with professor Dr. Don Potts and Colleen Flanigan. Rental equipment and services for the time-lapse provided by Stage 13 in Portland, OR.

Our 3rd small "accumulet" time-lapse was started on night of May 16, 2019. At some point in our experiment on May 23rd in the night, the camera disconnected from the computer and remote team viewers. With a little help from a labmate, we got the camera back online, but unfortunately the camera slipped out of position. This is what we have of this shoot so far. Tomorrow I'll go to the lab to recon the situation and we'll decide if an attempt to resume or set up take 4 is in the stars.

Electro-accumulation through seawater at the Marine Lab at UCSC. Low volt current causes the minerals in the ocean to deposit onto the steel mesh, building up a natural substrate for corals and other organisms to colonize. Materials research for coral reef restoration by Colleen Flanigan. Time-lapse equipment and remote tech support by Stage 13 in Portland, OR,

In the process of creating reef designs for future coral restoration projects