Study says rewilding atolls can help them keep pace with sea-level rise

The findings point to a practical way for vulnerable islands to support reef and beach growth as seas rise.

A new study says restoring native vegetation and seabird populations on coral atolls can improve their ability to keep up with sea-level rise, which matters for coastal resilience planning. An international team led by Lancaster University marine ecologist Nick Graham examined 28 atoll islands in the Pacific and Indian oceans. The work, published Wednesday in Science Advances, argues that healthy island ecosystems add nutrients and sediment support that help reefs build and beaches persist. The researchers describe these atolls as systems that can adapt if their ecological processes are allowed to function.