Between March 8, 2013 – March 23, 2013, the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation conducted a research mission to Rangiroa Atoll, French Polynesia as part of the Global Reef Expedition. The research focused on coral reefs surrounding Moorea and Rangiroa. The objectives of the mission were to: 1) identify and characterize shallow marine habitats and develop habitat and bathymetric maps: 2) evaluate the composition, structure and health of coral reefs using a standardized assessment protocol; 3) evaluate threats affecting coral and fish populations, the extent of degradation, patterns of recovery from hurricanes and other acute disturbances, and overall resilience to these stressors; 4) quantify the loss of coral skeleton since the 1998 bleaching event and patterns of recovery within the lagoon; 5) quantify the abundance and grazing intensity of herbivorous reef fish; and 5) assess the status of shark populations. You may download the full Rangiroa Field Report below.
Connecting Ecosystems, Connecting People: How a Collaboration Brought Seagrass into the Spotlight
In marine ecology, we often think about ecosystems like coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds as separate, distinct places. But much like the human body, these ecosystems are interconnected—each system plays a vital role in supporting the health of the others and the communities that depend on them. When we understand these connections, we start to see the bigger picture…
