Record-high seawater temperatures and calm seas in the summer of 2005 led to the most severe coral bleaching (death) ever observed in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
By measuring the current and historical growth rates of coral skeletons, and using field experiments, we intend to find out whether rising atmospheric CO2 and rising sea levels will cause coral reefs to erode and cease to function.
Brief report on sidescan sonar data, sediment sampling, and submersible and video photography studies of destruction of deep-water coral pinnacles where fish spawn off east-central Florida in the Oculina Bank in order to restore and protect the habitat.
Report on problems in preserving coral reef ecosystems with links to information on the interagency U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, press releases, reports, and NOAA coral reef sites.
Overview of research in the Hawaiian Islands and Guam to gain insight into the structure of coral reefs, to provide the basis for future monitoring, and to understand the influences of natural processes and human activities on coral reef health.
Manual for research program on the nesting habits of sea turtles of the Virgin Islands, with descriptions of species, nesting behavior, observation methods, record keeping, tagging, and tissue sample collection. (PDF file, 121 pp.)