Coral nubbins as source material for coral biological research: A prospectus

The global decline of coral reefs has raised interest in diverse aspects of coral biology, resulting in steady increase in the number of studies on physiological, ecotoxicological and molecular aspects of coral reef biology. An emerging problem in these disciplines is the shortage in source material for research. Genetically identical coral nubbins that are produced with minimal detrimental impacts on donor colonies fulfill the need for the growing demand for research. Here we detail the protocol for the preparation of coral nubbins amenable for the ornamental trade, reef restoration and research purposes.