Coral Reef Ecosystem Studies (CREST) Project

Coral Disease

Coral diseases have been reported worldwide and with increasing frequency. Disease is now recognized as one of the major causes of reef degradation and coral mortality.

Benthic Habitat Mapping & Monitoring

Benthic community composition, percent cover, areal extent, and temporal stability are critical factors that contribute to the value of a given marine habitat. Knowledge of these benthic cover components will provide a baseline for National Park Service resource managers, as well as a tool for planning research activities for other CREST scientists.

Climate and Sea Level

This information is critical to our understanding of the natural history of corals and will provide clues to the future of reef accretion processes and climate change.

Biogenic Calcification

The chemistry of the ocean is changing due to absorption of fossil-fuel carbon dioxide, a phenomenon commonly referred to as "ocean acidification." This is a problem for marine organisms that precipitate calcium carbonate to form their skeletons, tests, and shells.

Community Calcification & Metabolism

Changing ocean chemistry resulting from climate change and ocean acidification also affects coral reefs at the community level. The severity of impacts to coral reefs will depend, in part, on the ability of reefs to continue growing enough to keep up with rising sea level.