ABSTRACT
This chapter is an introduction to the book. The second section defines artificial reefs and identifies 13 broad uses of the technology. The third section focuses on the need for expansion of evaluation practices to include the documentation of how effectively artificial habitats meet the benefits projected for them. A reader’s guide to six chapters on study design, research methods, and evaluation of performance is provided. The final section addresses issues of consistency and comparability in research, and their connection to management of natural resources. Themes of the book include the need for clear definition of reef objectives as the basis for scientific evaluation, the opportunity for linkage between studies of natural and artificial reefs, and the utility of different types of information that can be developed consistent with capability for research.
