A satellite photo from the Allen Coral Atlas showing shallow coral reefs off Fiji Image Credit: Courtesy of Allen Coral Atlas |
University of Queensland-led research has shown there is more coral reef area across the globe than previously thought, with detailed satellite mapping helping to conserve these vital ecosystems.
Dr Mitchell Lyons from UQ’s School of the Environment, working as part of the Allen Coral Atlas project, said scientists have now identified 348,000 square kilometers of shallow coral reefs, up to 20-30 meters deep.
“This revises up our previous estimate of shallow reefs in the world’s oceans,” Dr Lyons said.
“Importantly, the high-resolution, up-to-date mapping satellite technology also allows us to see what these habitats are made from.
“We’ve found 80,000 square kilometers of reef have a hard bottom, where coral tends to grow, as opposed to soft bottom like sand, rubble or seagrass.