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Measuring corals in the Red Sea

December 17, 2008

Through a research agreement with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, WHOI scientists are studying coral reef ecosystems, fisheries, and water circulation along Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast. The first priority is to assess the health of extensive coral reefs and identify environmental factors affecting them. This work involves commercial dive boats, local dive-tour operators, and coral measurements by WHOI scientists, including MIT/WHOI Joint Program student Jessie Kneeland, shown here. These studies will provide a baseline for monitoring this vital and still-unspoiled ecosystem in a time of ongoing coastal development and climate change.
(Photo by Konrad Hughen, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)