CANBERRA, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- A two-year collaboration between Indigenous rangers and scientists has produced the first comprehensive scientific baseline of coral reefs around the Groote Archipelago in Australia's Northern Territory.
The study documented the seafloor composition of five reefs surrounding Groote Eylandt using underwater remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) in waters that can be challenging to access due to saltwater crocodiles and marine stingers, according to a statement released Thursday by Australia's University of Technology Sydney (UTS).
The surveys found coral cover ranging from 5 to 47 percent across the sites, with reefs dominated by hardy massive corals rather than branching varieties more common on other reefs, said the study co-authored by Anindilyakwa Land and Sea Rangers and UTS researchers.
Fieldwork in early 2024 coincided with an environmental stress event. Satellite data showed elevated sea temperatures before the event, although they were not at levels typically associated with severe coral bleaching. Ranger surveys subsequently identified mass coral bleaching at several sites.
The findings challenge assumptions that remote or marginal reefs are naturally resistant to heat stress, said UTS Associate Professor Emma Camp, senior researcher of the study published in the journal PLOS One.
"Remote reefs like these have too often been treated as an afterthought in conservation, despite how important they are to the communities who rely on them," Camp said.
The project combined traditional Indigenous knowledge with modern technology, with local rangers guiding scientists to key reef sites and receiving training to operate ROVs and drones, researchers said. ■