Inside the daring plan to map every coral reef from space

In the South Indian coast, erosion is leading to disappearing beaches. A study found that this erosion was in part due to man-made structures like a harbor that was built in the late 80s, groynes, and seawalls. These structures were interfering with the natural movement of sand. To fix it, they needed a structure that could block waves but also allow sand movement, the solution? An artificial reef. It was installed and some beaches are already seeing the results.

Warming water has led to the collapse of coral reef systems in the western Indian Ocean, essential to fisheries, protecting shorelines, and reducing beach erosion and sea-level rise. Marine scientists from Nature Seychelles, as part of an international project to protect and restore the reefs, are promoting varieties of coral that they have found to be resistant to the rise in temperature.

As coral reefs around the world are threatened by warming waters, mini-satellites are collecting images each day from space that put together a more comprehensive picture of the problems. This saves scientists time, energy, and money, and it means resources can be better targeted to the reefs that need the most help.

The 100 Island Challenge is a project through the University of California, San Diego to use photos and complex mapping programs to assess the health of coral reefs. Despite media attention declaring the demise of reefs, early stages of this research has shown that protective factors, like areas with less pollution, can help preserve reefs. By getting buy-in from local governments and working with local fisheries, the 100 Island Challenge is working to use new knowledge around coral reefs to lessen the effects of climate change on these precious ecosystems.

The oceans are acidifying at an alarming rate due to human-influenced climate change, and the effects are proving detrimental to our food chain and the marine ecosystem - especially shellfish, which are literally crumbling due to the increased levels of carbon dioxide. But shellfish farmers, governments, and scientists are striving to respond with a variety of solutions that vary from the short-term, such as altering methods for growing shellfish for improved harvest, to the bigger picture, seeking ways to decrease CO2 emissions on a global scale.

In an effort to collect data about the environmental health of high traffic destinations, researchers are examining the text and images of geotagged social media posts. Tweets about the Great Barrier Reef were analyzed for relevant information about specifically where people visited, common activities, and common complaints. While people passively provided data by geotagging posts, researchers are also proposing creating hashtags that allow for people to actively communicate data to researchers through social media posts.

As the global demand for energy continually increases, the strain on natural resources and the detrimental effects of fossil fuels become more problematic. But new developments in renewable energy technologies may provide new solutions. Minesto, a company based out of Northern Ireland, has a new device - structured something like an underwater kite - that allows for the constant harvesting of tidal power, regardless of current weather or wave conditions.

Around the world, scientists are eco-engineering urban waterfront areas to encourage marine species diversity. Seattle’s Central Waterfront area was recently enhanced with a textured and angled concrete sea wall to encourage the growth of algae and invertebrates, a built-up seafloor to attract juvenile salmon who like shallow water, and light penetrating glass bricks in the sidewalk, which boost seaweed growth and entice shade-avoidant salmon smolts. The project also enhances the human experience with more pedestrian access, better storm water management, and a new pier park with direct water access.

Because of drastic reef declines globally, coral reef restoration efforts have gained support in recent years. To understand how to do it, a hardy band of conservationists in the Caribbean are looking at how corals reproduce. But as these scientists acknowledge, raising corals is challenging and complex. And such restoration is no silver bullet for continual habitat loss, pollution, and ocean acidification.

After nearly back-to-back coral bleaching events made headlines internationally, there's been an increased awareness around the need to save what's left of the species. The newest strategy being implemented has to do with genetic technology that helps scientists determine via DNA markers which types of coral may be the most weak and the most resilient. “Scientists’ goal right now should be to take the steps necessary to optimize coral species so that each successive generation is more resilient,” explains marine biologist Ruth Gates. Although still early in its debut, this is the goal of genetic technology.