Coral health status protocol.

The health of coral reefs is of paramount importance to millions of people around the world (CITE). Coral reefs provide many ecosystem services, including coastal protection, necessary nutrition, habitat for many animal species, and important economic benefits such as tourism (CITE).

Due to coral bleaching (Hughes et al. 2018), anthropogenic pollution (Bellwood et al. 2004), and ocean acidification (CITE), corals can show signs of poor health and thus lose their natural functions.

Through a health status chart (CITE) set up by the Australia Institute of Marine Biology, we are able to create health status tracking through a color chart.

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