Mapped Coral Mortality and Refugia in an Archipelago-Scale Marine Heat Wave

A team of researchers has developed a large-scale, high-resolution coral mortality monitoring capability through airborne imaging spectroscopy. Using this technology, they mapped living coral cover surrounding the Main Hawaiʿian Islands before and after a marine heatwave in 2019. In this paper, they compare the results of the before and after maps to quantify coral mortality and identify potential areas of reef refugia, or parts of the reef where coral may be more resilient to future heatwaves. Their findings highlight the role that coral mortality mapping- when paired with coral bleaching monitoring- can play in identifying targeted conservation and protection actions under future climate change scenarios.

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Reference

Asner, G.P., Vaughn, N.R., Martin, R.E., Foo, S.A., Heckler, J., Neilson, B.J., Gove, J.M. (2022). Mapped coral mortality and refugia in an archipelago-scale marine heat wave. PNAS, 119(19). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2123331119