Research Overview
CReefs consists of a collaboration of a consortium of scientists in the unprecedented effort to sample and analyze coral reef biodiversity globally.
CReefs Unites Scientists Internationally to Research and Understand:
- Patterns of species diversity for understudied reef-associated groups (ie invertebrate, algal, and microbial communities) over gradients of human disturbance
- Types and distribution of species obligately associated with healthy coral reefs
- Prospects for maintenance of species diversity on reefs suffering various levels of human impacts
- Amounts and types of taxonomic and ecological information required to manage reef ecosystems effectively
CReefs Leading Research Efforts:
A primary goal of the CReefs project has been to develop new methods needed to address the challenge of assessing the enormous diversity of coral reefs and begin to apply these methods.
A comprehensive global assessment of the diversity of the world’s coral reefs, both healthy and in distress (that is, at least one-quarter and perhaps over one-third of the diversity of the oceans overall) was beyond the scope of this project, but developing the methods and ground-truthing them was not. The two key methodological components upon which CReefs focused are molecular analyses and standardized sampling.Click on the links below to find out more about our research activities
Standardized method (mimicking coral reef complexity to attract colonizing invertebrates) deployed globally to assess indices of cryptic organism biodiversity…
Standardized sampling of dead coral heads in comparison with ARMS and use of barcoding for across site comparisons, assessment and monitoring…
Comprehensive censuses at French Frigate Shoals in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument and at Lizard Island, Heron Island and Ningaloo Reef in Australia…
Partner coral reef biodiversity initiatives…
