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US 9,144,228 B1Granted
Mature modular reef
AssigneeORA Technologies, LLC
InventorsTyler R Ortego, Matthew D. Campbell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods of reef construction are disclosed that include exposing a man-made scaffold to environmental conditions such that bivalve organisms grow on the man-made scaffold for a duration sufficient to create a scaffold having two generations of bivalve attachment. Certain methods involve moving the biologically accreted scaffold to a second location to serve as a reef or breakwater after substantial growth of bivalve organisms has occurred.
Claims22
A method of reef construction comprising:
- a. preparing a scaffold comprising an exposed hard calcium containing material;
- b. exposing the scaffold to a first set of conditions in which a first group of bivalve organisms attach to the scaffold;
- c. allowing the first group of bivalve organisms to grow to sexual maturity such that a group of sexually mature bivalve organisms is present on the scaffold;
- and
- d. moving the scaffold and the group of sexually mature bivalve organisms from a first location having a first fetch to a second location having a second fetch;
- e. wherein the second location has a feature selected from:
- i. a second fetch that is at least 50% longer than the first fetch and
- ii. a second location that is higher than the first location by an elevation change that is greater than 20% of a distance equivalent to a mean range of tide at the second location;
- f. wherein upon moving the scaffold and the group of sexually mature bivalve organisms to the second location a first fraction of the group of sexually mature bivalve organisms are located above mean low water for the second location.
6 more elements
A method of reef construction comprising:
- a. exposing a man-made scaffold to a first environment such that bivalve organisms grow on the man-made scaffold for a duration sufficient to create a biologically accreted scaffold having two generations of bivalve attachment;
- and
- b. moving the biologically accreted scaffold to a second location;
- c. wherein the first environment is a first marine environment;
- d. wherein the second location is in a second marine environment;
- e. wherein a biologically accreted component of the biologically accreted scaffold makes up at least 30% of a total weight of the biologically accreted scaffold.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.