Coral reefs are considered 'canaries of the oceans,' acting as an early warning system for marine ecosystems. |
The importance of this research is that we will be concentrating on aspects that enhance both understanding and prediction of reef status in terms of the extent of bleached corals, coral mortality, evidence of recovery, evidence of algal overgrowth and biodiversity using AVIRIS data and field measurements. |
The structure of coral reefs provides coastline protection from severe storms by dampening wave action. |