Reversing the decline of coastal marine ecosystems will rely extensively on ecological restoration. This will in turn rely on ensuring adequate supply and survival of propagules — for the main habitat-forming taxa of coastal marine ecosystems these are mainly fruits, seeds, viviparous seedlings, zoospores or larvae. The likelihood of propagule survival — and so restoration success — depends on species- and context-specific knowledge to guide choices about appropriate methods to use. Here, we briefly review life-histories of the main habitat-forming taxa of six coastal marine ecosystems: mangrove forests, tidal marshes, seagrass meadows, kelp forests, coral reefs and bivalve reefs. Restoration of several of these ecosystems has long harnessed the unique properties of propagules, sometimes because they are simple to use (for example, planting propagules of some mangroves), and sometimes because we can draw on knowledge gained from other applications (for example using knowledge of oyster culture to restore bivalve reefs). For other ecosystems, like seagrass meadows, kelp forests and coral reefs, propagules have not yet been widely used, but there is compelling evidence that they can be. Most restoration efforts have used relatively simple techniques, such as manual collection and direct planting or seeding. Some approaches use more complex techniques which include a stage in which propagules are reared in nurseries or aquaria to a size or age at which they are viable, when they are then planted or released at the site to be restored. Other approaches use minimal intervention, and focus instead on providing the conditions that will promote growth from naturally dispersed propagules (such as restoring hydrological conditions to facilitate mangrove recruitment). Future approaches could incorporate knowledge applied from other fields, such as genetics and agriculture, and harness the possibilities provided by technology. Understanding the importance of propagule quality will likely also yield insights, as will effective use of models to help refine restoration methods for testing. Deeper partnerships between practitioners and researchers will help test and develop better methods so that we can learn from each other and strive to improve. Propagules offer multiple promising avenues to expand coastal marine restoration efforts and help achieve global ambitions.

中文翻译：

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利用繁殖体恢复沿海海洋生态系统

扭转沿海海洋生态系统的衰退将广泛依赖生态恢复。这反过来将依赖于确保繁殖体的充足供应和存活——对于沿海海洋生态系统的主要栖息地形成分类群，这些主要是果实、种子、胎生幼苗、游动孢子或幼虫。繁殖体存活的可能性——以及恢复成功——取决于物种和环境特定的知识，以指导选择适当的使用方法。在这里，我们简要回顾了六个沿海海洋生态系统的主要栖息地形成类群的生活史：红树林、潮汐沼泽、海草草甸、海带森林、珊瑚礁和双壳类珊瑚礁。长期以来，这些生态系统的恢复利用了繁殖体的独特特性，有时是因为它们易于使用（例如，种植一些红树林的繁殖体），有时是因为我们可以利用从其他应用中获得的知识（例如，使用牡蛎养殖知识来恢复双壳类珊瑚礁）。对于其他生态系统，如海草草甸、海藻森林和珊瑚礁，繁殖体尚未得到广泛使用，但有令人信服的证据表明它们可以。大多数恢复工作都使用了相对简单的技术，例如人工采集和直接种植或播种。一些方法使用更复杂的技术，其中包括在苗圃或水族箱中将繁殖体培育到它们可以存活的大小或年龄，然后将它们种植或释放到要恢复的地点的阶段。其他方法使用最少的干预，而是专注于提供促进自然分散繁殖体生长的条件（例如恢复水文条件以促进红树林补充）。未来的方法可以结合其他领域应用的知识，例如遗传学和农业，并利用技术提供的可能性。了解繁殖体质量的重要性也可能会产生见解，有效使用模型来帮助改进测试恢复方法也可能会产生见解。从业者和研究人员之间更深入的合作将有助于测试和开发更好的方法，以便我们可以相互学习并努力改进。繁殖提供了多种有前途的途径来扩大沿海海洋恢复工作并帮助实现全球雄心。