Reef Resilience

Making the Grade: How we grade coral reefs

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The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation recently published our findings on the health and resilience of the coral reefs in the Kingdom of Tonga. The report includes a unique grading scale we developed to indicate the relative health and resilience of the reef. For each survey site we visited in Tonga, we assessed the benthic community and classified the reef as being in “good,” moderate,” or “poor” condition.

This assessment was based on the overall live coral cover, algae, and invertebrate composition of the reef.

AI for Earth

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Microsoft’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Earth program is harnessing the power of the Global Reef Expedition dataset to build a predictive model of global coral reef health and resilience. Anna Bakker, a Ph.D. student working with KSLOF’s Chief Scientist Dr. Sam Purkis on remote sensing of coral reefs, was awarded the Microsoft AI for Earth Grant for the duration of her Ph.D. This program will grant us access to use the immense power of AI, machine learning, and cloud computing to analyze the data collected during the Global Reef Expedition.

5 Things You Can Do Today to Help Save Our Oceans

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This Earth Day make a commitment to be a champion of our oceans.

Our oceans cover 71% of our Earth and contain over 99% of the living space on our planet—but they are in trouble. Facing increasing threats from climate change, overfishing, and pollution, we need to take action to protect our oceans before it is too late.

Here are five things you can do today to help save our oceans:

Coral Bleaching and Mortality in the Chagos Archipelago

Coral Bleaching and Mortality in the Chagos Archipelago Atoll Research Bulletin, November 2, 2017 By Charles Sheppard, Anne Sheppard, Andrew Mogg, Dan Bayley, Alexandra C. Dempsey, Ronan Roche, John Turner, Sam Purkis  Abstract The atolls and coral banks of the Chagos …

Coral Reef Biodiversity in the Red Sea

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Written by: Elizabeth Rauer Red Sea coral reefs are known for their remarkable heat tolerance and resiliency in the face of rising sea temperatures, but many reefs are threatened by other factors such as development, overfishing, and disease. In order …

Exploring the World Heritage Convention for High Seas conservation

The High Seas span our globe, covering half the earth. But they are unprotected. The UNESCO World Heritage Marine Programme, in close collaboration with IUCN, is exploring the potential of the 1972 World Heritage Convention to preserve places in areas …

Form Fits Function

Do you know… how corals bodies help ensure their survival? In this Form Fits Function video, you’ll learn how corals bodies are designed to ensure their survival. Ever heard the phrase form fits function? It’s when the shape of something is designed …