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.)
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.
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.
Describes research to assess the effectiveness of the current system and distribution of marine reserves and protected areas in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico for conserving reef ecosystems and resources.
Shows how coral reef specimens are collected, the type of information gained from them, and the methods by which they are measured and studied to understand recent (past few centuries) changes in climate.
We conduct systematic imaging of reef habitats in order to provide regulatory agencies with information they need to decide whether those reefs should be designated as protected areas.
Palmyra Atoll in the tropical Pacific is a "living laboratory" for multi-disciplinary research on coral reef ecosystems, insular terrestrial ecosystems, climate change, and the lingering effects of Cold War nuclear testing.
Extreme storms, sea-level rise, and the health of marine communities are some of the major societal and environmental issues studied by this part of USGS.
Explains type of information we collect and the problems we study in this area, focusing on coral reef ecosystems, ocean acidification, and sea-level change.