Hybrid Reef System Shows Promise for Coastal Defense

Rutgers-led study finds living reef can reduce wave power by over 90%

Apr. 14, 2026 at 2:38am

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A highly textured, abstract painting in muted tones of green, blue, and gray, featuring sweeping geometric shapes and precise botanical spirals that evoke the complex interplay of natural and engineered components in a living reef coastal defense system.An innovative hybrid reef system combines natural and engineered elements to create a resilient, self-sustaining coastal defense against rising seas and storms.Tallahassee Today

Scientists report that a modular reef system combining natural and engineered materials can significantly reduce wave power, suggesting the approach could offer a new way to protect shorelines from storms and rising seas. The hybrid reef, installed at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida, has been colonized by oysters and other marine life, forming a natural reef that builds on and strengthens the original framework.

Why it matters

Coastal communities and critical infrastructure are increasingly at risk from flooding, erosion, and storm damage due to climate change. Traditional engineered coastal defenses have limitations, so researchers are exploring nature-based solutions that can adapt and repair themselves over time.

The details

The modular reef system was designed to evolve naturally with marshes, seagrass, and other coastal habitats, forming what the researchers call a "Living Shoreline Mosaic". Built from porous concrete modules, the hybrid structure combines engineering and natural processes. In tests, the reef reduced wave power by more than 90% and has been supporting reef growth and stabilizing the shoreline.

  • The project was developed through DARPA's Reefense program and installed between October 2024 and March 2025 at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida.
  • The base was heavily damaged by Hurricane Michael in 2018, prompting the investigation into new coastal protection methods.

The players

David Bushek

A professor with the Department of Marine and Coastal Studies at the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Studies and a lead author of the study.

Ximing Guo

A Distinguished Professor in the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences at Rutgers.

Hani Nassif

A professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at Rutgers.

Richard Riman

A Distinguished Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Rutgers.

Reefense Program

A program by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) that funded the development and installation of the hybrid reef system.

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What they’re saying

“We set out to build a kind of living reef, something that combines natural and engineered materials and can repair itself over time, to help protect coastlines from flooding, erosion and storm damage that are putting both communities and critical infrastructure at risk.”

— David Bushek, Professor, Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Studies

“The Reefense Modules and Living Shoreline Mosaic strategy advance the field of nature-based solutions for shoreline protection and can be applied anywhere oysters form reefs. In the face of increasing storms and rising seas, it is critical to develop strategies that protect our coasts.”

— David Bushek, Professor, Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Studies

What’s next

Researchers will continue monitoring the performance of the hybrid reef system and its impact on the surrounding coastal habitats. If the system continues to meet expectations, it could represent a shift in how shorelines are protected, moving towards nature-based solutions that work with natural processes.

The takeaway

This innovative hybrid reef system demonstrates the potential for combining engineered and natural elements to create resilient coastal defenses that can adapt and repair themselves over time, offering a promising new approach to protecting vulnerable shorelines.