French Polynesia - Global reef expedition final report Vol 7

Abstract

In April 2011 the Khaled bin Sultan living oceans foundation embarked on the Global Reef Expedition (GRE) the largest coral reef survey and mapping expedition in history. The GRE was a five-year rigorous scientific mission to study coral reefs around the world. The expedition was designed to assess the impact of anthropogenic and natural disturbances such as runoffs, climate change, storm change, and Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (COTS) outbreaks. The ultimate goal of the of the Foundation's research is to provide scientists, managers, and stakeholders with recommendations that are indispensable for formulating an effective management strategy for coral reefs and surrounding habitats. Herein, we report on a study that KSLOF has undertaken to assess the health and resilience of the coral reefs in the Overseas Lands of French Polynesia. The study spanned a seven-month period from September 2012 through April 2013. The foundation quantitatively measured and categorized coral reef environments in four of the five major archipelagoes of French Polynesia. Society Tuamotu, Gambier and Austral Archipelagoes. This unprecedented scientific mission involved 73 scientists from numerous organization around the world who worked side by side with the French Polynesian marine scientists to gather the highest quality data.