Our second research mission of 2015 took the Global Reef Expedition to the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), a small island chain in the Indian Ocean and home to some of the most remote, and pristine, coral reefs on Earth – 95% of which have yet to be explored. Our work here consists of coral reef surveys and high resolution mapping of reefs in the Chagos archipelago, all of which are part of the Chagos Marine Reserve, the largest no-take marine protected area on earth. Representatives from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), Nova Southeastern University, and the Chagos Conservation Trust will join our core science team on this mission.

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…
