The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation Characterization and Habitat Mapping of Coral Reefs of the Saudi Arabian Red Sea Final Report, Part I; 2006‐2009

The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation implemented four research missions in the Saudi Arabian Red Sea from 2006-2009 using the M/Y Golden Shadow as a research platform. The research was undertaken to improve the understanding of the spatial distribution, size and condition of shallow marine habitats, and to identify options to enhance the conservation and management of Saudi Arabian coral reef ecosystems. The research focused on three priorities:

1) characterization and mapping of shallow marine habitats off the Saudi Arabian Red Sea coastline;

2) assessment of the composition, population structure, cover and health of key reef species, including stony corals and soft corals, algae, and fishes; and

3) characterization of past impacts, patterns of recovery, ongoing stressors and resilience indicators.

Outputs included a Geographic Information System (GIS) database, detailed high resolution habitat maps compiled in an HTML format CD, the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation Atlas of Shallow Marine Habitat in the Saudi Arabian Red Sea, a coral reef symposium held in Jeddah in 2012, a movie on the Farasan Islands, and numerous scientific presentations and publications. Additional products in development include a Red Sea coral reef book entitled “Conservation of Coral Reef Ecosystems of the Saudi Arabian Red Sea”.

Quickbird multispectral satellite imagery (DigitalGlobe Inc.) was acquired for 25,000 km2 of coastal and offshore marine habitats in the Saudi Arabian Red Sea, from the shoreline to depths of 20-30 m, extending up to 100 km offshore. Satellite imagery was supplemented with hyperspectral imagery in the Farasan Islands (3200 km2) and Al Wajh lagoon (approximately 2000 km2). Detailed groundtruthing focused on acquisition of data needed to identify, characterize and validate habitats, derive depth, determine reflectance of various objects and habitats, validate the position on the ground with the imagery, remove artifacts associated with atmosphere and water conditions, and improve accuracy of the resulting maps.

All of the habitat maps, imagery, data, photographs and video were compiled into a GIS database. The GIS database and associated habitat maps provide a spatially-based platform for management. These maps identify at least seven different geomorphologic reef structures in the Red Sea, including barrier reef systems, lagoonal patch reefs, reticulate reefs, submerged limestone platforms, coral pinnacles, atoll-like structures, and island and mainland fringing reefs. Shallow marine areas are subdivided into 12-15 distinct marine habitat types in each region, including specific reef environments, grassbeds, mangroves, algal flats, and sand-bottom communities. The habitats are discriminated to depths of about 20-30 m. Assessments of wave and tide height, sediment characteristics, turbidity, reflectance of corals, algae and non-living substrates, and sediment and hard bottom profiling, along with historic datasets (e.g. temperature) were used to determine linkages between the coral reef ecosystems and the environmental drivers, geological features and biological attributes that shape these ecosystems…