MELBOURNE, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- Marine scientists have returned to the remote Recherche Archipelago off the state of Western Australia's southern coast to assess changes in reef ecosystems and examine the region's role as a refuge for marine life.
The expedition, led by the University of Tasmania's Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), will run from Tuesday to Nov. 20, surveying fish, invertebrates and seaweeds across the archipelago. Researchers will revisit sites surveyed in 2023 and explore additional reefs, according to a statement of the Australian university released Tuesday.
The Recherche reefs were first surveyed in the 1990s but have seldom been studied since. Surveys in 2023 found healthy reefs supporting abundant marine life.
Expedition leader and IMAS researcher Scott Bennett said the surveys would provide baseline information for the South Coast Marine Park system and an early reference point for tracking changes in reef biodiversity and habitats.
IMAS marine ecologist and scientific diver Antonia Cooper said the surveys would allow comparisons of reef conditions over time and across regions using the same methods applied at reefs around Australia. ■
