DON'T MISS ANYTHING!
Subscribe to our newsletter
Get the latest news, personalised insights, and must-read stories from Jafriq Radio straight to your inbox with our free newsletters.
Listeners:
Top listeners:
LISTEN NOW: JafriQ Radio Live On Jafriq Radio
[ad_1]
The world’s coral reefs are close to 25% larger than we thought. By using satellite images, machine learning and on-ground knowledge from a global network of people living and working on coral reefs, we found an extra 64,000 square kilometres of coral reefs – an area the size of Ireland.
That brings the total size of the planet’s shallow reefs (meaning 0-20 metres deep) to 348,000 square kilometres – the size of Germany. This figure represents whole coral reef ecosystems, ranging from sandy-bottomed lagoons with a little coral, to coral rubble flats, to living walls of coral.
Within this 348,000 km² of coral is 80,000 km² where there’s a hard bottom – rocks rather than sand. These areas are likely to be home to significant amounts of coral – the places snorkellers and scuba divers most like to visit.
You might wonder why we’re finding this out now. Didn’t we already know where the world’s reefs are?
Previously, we’ve had to pull data from many different sources, which made it harder to pin down the extent of coral reefs with certainty. But now we have high resolution satellite data covering the entire world – and are able to see reefs as deep as 30 metres down.
We coupled this with direct observations and records of coral reefs from over 400 individuals and organisations in countries with coral reefs from all regions, such as the Maldives, Cuba and Australia.
To produce the maps, we used machine learning techniques to chew through 100 trillion pixels from the Sentinel-2 and Planet Dove CubeSat satellites to make accurate predictions about where coral is – and is not. The team worked with almost 500 researchers and collaborators to make the maps.
The result: the world’s first comprehensive map of coral reefs extent, and their composition, produced through the Allen Coral Atlas.
The maps are already proving their worth. Reef management agencies around the world are using them to plan and assess conservation work and threats to reefs.
Where is this hidden coral?
You can see the difference for yourself. In the interactive slider below, red indicates the newly detected coral in reefs off far north Queensland.
This infographic shows the new detail we now have for the Tongue Reef, in the seas off Port Douglas in Far North Queensland.
Our maps have three levels of detail. The first is the most expansive – the entire coral reef ecosystem. Seen from space, it has light areas of coral fringed by darker deeper water.
Then we have geomorphic detail, meaning what the areas within the reef look like. This includes sandy lagoons, reef crests exposed to the air at low tide, sloping areas going into deeper water and so on.
And finally we have fine detail of the benthic substrates, showing where you have areas dominated by coral cover.
Coral can’t grow on sand. Polyps have to attach to a hard surface such as rock before they can begin expanding the reef out of their limestone-secreting bodies.
Some of our maps include fine detail of benthic substrates, meaning where coral is most likely to be and the substrates (seafloor) available to the polyps, such as existing coral, sand, rubble, or seagrass.
It’s a crucial time for the world’s coral reefs. We’re discovering the full extent of shallow water reefs – while other researchers are finding large new black coral reefs in deeper water.
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Almost finished…
We need to confirm your email address.
To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you.
There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.
But even as we make these discoveries, coral reefs are reeling. Climate change is steadily heating up the sea and making it more acidic. Coral polyps can’t handle too much heat. These wonders of biodiversity are home to a quarter of the ocean’s species.
In good news, these maps are already leading to real world change. We’ve already seen new efforts to conserve coral reefs in Indonesia, several Pacific island nations, Panama, Belize, Kenya and Australia, among others.
Mitchell Lyons, Postdoctoral research fellow, The University of Queensland
Stuart Phinn, Professor of Geography, Director – Remote Sensing Research Centre, Chair – Earth Observation Australia, The University of Queensland
[ad_2]
Source link
Written by: jafriqradio
africa Business current events economy Environment news Oceans and Rivers Politics sports trade travel Wildlife
Get the latest news, personalised insights, and must-read stories from Jafriq Radio straight to your inbox with our free newsletters.
ucgp.jujuy.edu.ar on August 17, 2025
2 iu hgh per day results bodybuilding
References:
hgh female dosage – ucgp.jujuy.edu.ar,
peatix.com on August 19, 2025
deca and dianabol cycle
References:
dianabol dosage cycle (peatix.com)
Testosterone Cypionate and dianabol cycle on August 20, 2025
testosterone cypionate and dianabol cycle
wehrle on August 21, 2025
hgh how many iu’s per day
References:
wehrle
did ronnie coleman use steroids on August 22, 2025
steroid injection for muscle building
References:
did ronnie coleman use steroids
git.cydedu.com on August 23, 2025
anabolic effect
References:
best muscle building pills 2015 (git.cydedu.com)
https://www.24propertyinspain.com/user/Profile/1152363 on August 24, 2025
buy steroids us
References:
anadrol vs anavar (https://www.24propertyinspain.com/user/Profile/1152363)
jobzee.co.uk on September 7, 2025
ipamorelin + mod grf 1-29 dosage
References:
cjc 1295 ipamorelin skin rejuvenation results (jobzee.co.uk)
pad.stuve.uni-ulm.de on September 7, 2025
ipamorelin mod grf 1 29 fat loss
References:
cjc-1295 and ipamorelin subcutaneous injections (pad.stuve.uni-ulm.de)
ashkert.am on September 8, 2025
ipamorelin hgh
References:
should you take ipamorelin before or After workout – ashkert.am –
https://maps.google.ml on September 9, 2025
sermorelin ipamorelin side effects
References:
peg-ipamorelin structure, https://maps.google.ml,
valley.md on September 9, 2025
how to use cjc 1295 and ipamorelin
References:
valley.md
https://repo.apps.odatahub.net on September 10, 2025
ipamorelin for women cost
References:
cjc 1295/ipamorelin prescription (https://repo.apps.odatahub.net)
valley.md on September 11, 2025
cjc 1295 ipamorelin 5mg mexico
References:
valley.md
ipamorelin/sermorelin dosage on September 11, 2025
cjc 1295 ipamorelin dosage men
References:
ipamorelin/sermorelin dosage
sermorelin vs tesamorelin vs ipamorelin on September 12, 2025
which is better ipamorelin or semorelin
References:
sermorelin vs tesamorelin vs ipamorelin
https://iratechsolutions.com/ on September 13, 2025
fever after ipamorelin injections
References:
ipamorelin and sermorelin Injection (https://iratechsolutions.com/)
Valley.md on September 13, 2025
sermorelin ipamorelin for provideres
References:
Valley.md
Tee.Eddykk.Com on September 26, 2025
anabolic steroids list
References:
Best Muscle Supplements At Gnc [Tee.Eddykk.Com]
https://www.propose.lk on September 26, 2025
anadrol stacks
References:
what are the side Effects of dianabol [https://www.propose.lk]
Https://Vidcine.Com on September 26, 2025
oral steroids for sale online in usa
References:
Best Anabolic Steroids For Sale [https://Vidcine.Com]
qimley.com on September 27, 2025
best gnc pre workout 2016
References:
best muscle gain stack (qimley.com)
shanghati.org on September 28, 2025
legal steroid alternatives that work
References:
supplement stacks that work, shanghati.org,
isabelzarate.com on September 28, 2025
is it illegal to buy steroids online
References:
best stacks (isabelzarate.com)
sound.descreated.com on September 28, 2025
steroid names bodybuilding
References:
how to do steroids (sound.descreated.com)
Https://Www.Enginx.Dev/Grettaswc1678 on September 29, 2025
steroid expert
References:
Steroid Use In Bodybuilding (https://Www.Enginx.Dev/Grettaswc1678)
https://bleezlabs.com on October 3, 2025
do steroids make you fat
References:
https://bleezlabs.com
travelersqa.com on October 4, 2025
legal steroid
References:
travelersqa.com
cineblog01.rest on October 4, 2025
dianabol steroid
References:
cineblog01.rest
https://www.google.co.vi on October 4, 2025
what is a dangerous effect of anabolic steroids
References:
https://www.google.co.vi
https://bookmarking.stream on October 4, 2025
muscle stack reviews
References:
https://bookmarking.stream
volleypedia.org on October 5, 2025
legal steroids bodybuilding supplements
References:
volleypedia.org
stallings-mygind-2.mdwrite.net on October 5, 2025
nih builders
References:
stallings-mygind-2.mdwrite.net
www.google.at on October 5, 2025
best steroid stack for beginners
References:
http://www.google.at
https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/users/dugan.murray on October 6, 2025
test steroid for sale
References:
https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/users/dugan.murray
pad.stuve.uni-ulm.de on October 6, 2025
what are the negative effects of steroids
References:
pad.stuve.uni-ulm.de
www.google.co.uz on October 6, 2025
steroid effects on the body
References:
http://www.google.co.uz
https://www.google.co.uz/ on October 6, 2025
powerlifting steroid cycles
References:
https://www.google.co.uz/