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Coral reef bleaching in the Red Sea: An investigation into the environmental causes of bleaching

Griffin, Fintan LU (2024) In Student thesis series INES NGEK01 20241
Dept of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science
Abstract
This report aims to investigate the links between various environmental factors and
coral bleaching in the Red Sea. Corals in the Red Sea have seen less bleaching than in other coral regions. Researchers point to a higher thermal tolerance among coral reefs in this sea. However, bleaching is beginning to occur here with increasing frequency as oceans warm and acidify. Taking monthly data of sea surface temperatures, pH, wind speed, salinity, chlorophyll a concentration, and sea surface currents from MODIS and Copernicus. Processing was then carried out in ArcGIS Pro on 474 records of coral bleaching from the Global Coral Bleaching Database between 2007-2023. Correlations analyses and Principal component analyses were performed to... (More)
This report aims to investigate the links between various environmental factors and
coral bleaching in the Red Sea. Corals in the Red Sea have seen less bleaching than in other coral regions. Researchers point to a higher thermal tolerance among coral reefs in this sea. However, bleaching is beginning to occur here with increasing frequency as oceans warm and acidify. Taking monthly data of sea surface temperatures, pH, wind speed, salinity, chlorophyll a concentration, and sea surface currents from MODIS and Copernicus. Processing was then carried out in ArcGIS Pro on 474 records of coral bleaching from the Global Coral Bleaching Database between 2007-2023. Correlations analyses and Principal component analyses were performed to identify links between the parameters and bleaching. Random forest, decision tree and k-nearest neighbours regressions were also used to investigate how coral reef bleaching may change under RCP 8.5. Significant correlations were found between bleaching and SST, chlorophyll a, pH, wind speed, & salinity. All regressions predicted increases in bleaching by 2050, 2070, & 2100, with a threefold increase predicted by 2100. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Griffin, Fintan LU
supervisor
organization
course
NGEK01 20241
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Coral Reefs, bleaching
publication/series
Student thesis series INES
report number
641
language
English
id
9170749
date added to LUP
2024-07-18 09:59:11
date last changed
2024-07-18 09:59:11
@misc{9170749,
  abstract     = {{This report aims to investigate the links between various environmental factors and 
coral bleaching in the Red Sea. Corals in the Red Sea have seen less bleaching than in other coral regions. Researchers point to a higher thermal tolerance among coral reefs in this sea. However, bleaching is beginning to occur here with increasing frequency as oceans warm and acidify. Taking monthly data of sea surface temperatures, pH, wind speed, salinity, chlorophyll a concentration, and sea surface currents from MODIS and Copernicus. Processing was then carried out in ArcGIS Pro on 474 records of coral bleaching from the Global Coral Bleaching Database between 2007-2023. Correlations analyses and Principal component analyses were performed to identify links between the parameters and bleaching. Random forest, decision tree and k-nearest neighbours regressions were also used to investigate how coral reef bleaching may change under RCP 8.5. Significant correlations were found between bleaching and SST, chlorophyll a, pH, wind speed, & salinity. All regressions predicted increases in bleaching by 2050, 2070, & 2100, with a threefold increase predicted by 2100.}},
  author       = {{Griffin, Fintan}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  series       = {{Student thesis series INES}},
  title        = {{Coral reef bleaching in the Red Sea: An investigation into the environmental causes of bleaching}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}