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Exploring Coral Reef Sustainability with New Technologies

Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles is possibly the most spotless coral reef surroundings in the Caribbean. Percent coral wrap is the highest and percent algal cover the lowest compared to other Caribbean reefs and thus its reef atmosphere represents a baseline by which we can compare other coral reefs. Bonaire’s economy depends heavily on diving tourism, with over 31,000 SCUBA divers entering its waters once a year. The Bonaire Marine Park ability oversees the organization and protection of this unique underwater resource with help from STINAPA, a supervision suggested body. Though the thin leeward environment near Bonaire between 0-12 m was mapped in the 80’s by a Dutch scientist, Dr. Fleur van Duyl, little to no survey work has been conducted on the deeper reef (60-100 m) on into deeper water (100-300 m). The shallow water survey (van Duyl 1985) supplies a rich database (Figure 2) touching which to review decadal alterations. A recent meeting of the International Coral Reef Initiative, an effort of the United Nations ecological Program, identified mapping the reefs of Bonaire a top priority in a regional background, and the territorial control of Bonaire has indicate burly sustain for our mapping project. Bonaire, Curacao, Las Aves, and Los Roques have newly been proposed for United Nations World inheritance Status given the immaculate marine environment and high grade of prevalent type which are those establish nowhere else on the planet.

The goal of the Bonaire expedition is to survey this unique environment over a greater depth range than can be reached with compressed air SCUBA, using 3 Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), technical diving, and in a future year, a manned submersible. Scientists from the College of William & Mary’s Virginia Institute of Marine Science, the University of Delaware, and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography are leading the expedition. We also have help from the Island Government of Bonaire, scientists at the National Oceanography Centre, United Kingdom, and two makers of underwater technology, Hafmynd and GeoAcoustics. This unique mapping of the biological and physical surroundings will document pattern of biodiversity in shallow and deep parts of the reef. We may realize new species. Because AUVs can fly in slam closeness to the bottom in terrain-following sort, the AUVs will grant a superior method of imaging the foundation via such sensors as side scan sonar, multibeam sonar, and digital video (Figure 5), compared to towing these sensors over the reef on a luge, or using a boat at the shell. The AUVs can also all together gauge water currents near the bottom, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll, pH, conductivity, and temperature. We will also be deploying fixed bottom instruments to measure temperature fluctuations and water currents. Because the AUVs can work 6-12 hours/day depending on survey rapidity, we should also be able to map several square kilometers per day. This robot mapping effort will be ground-truthed at select spots by compressed air and trimix SCUBA divers using underwater video. This re-mapping of the trivial reefs of Bonaire using new tools, and the explorations into deeper water using AUV know-how, will provide an important resource for this island territory in the form of a detailed snapshot of shallow and deep reefs. The shallow reef mapping will be compared to the 1985 snapshot taken by van Duyl, as well as other partial surveys by other scientists. The deeper reef mapping will serve as a new snapshot against which future explorations can evaluate. This reef mapping mission, with the GIS database on bottom type, species composition, and overlying water quality, will help the Island Government of Bonaire continue to protect this unique ecosystem and help funnel efforts to manage Fishing confined Areas and marine treasury.

About the Author

Rosieros is an expert author, who is presently working on the site about Sea World and Water treatment . He has written many articles in various topics. For more information about water management .