Ocean

Corals are responsible for the three-dimensional structure of coral reefs, as well as providing habitat for a variety of other reef species and protecting coasts during storms. Coral health is determined by assessing the size, bleaching stage, and level of death due to predation and illness for each species. The Clean Water Project has started a pilot coral monitoring project in the Florida Keys

Seawater monitoring provides permanent point water quality analysis, data processing, and trend forecasting to assist efforts aimed at preventing and reversing negative anthropogenic impacts on the aquatic environment.

Seagrass is a useful indication of broader changes in marine ecosystems because it is sensitive to habitat alteration. Seagrass was chosen as a critical indication for monitoring by the clean water project for these reasons. We keep track of the current state of seagrass communities and their changes over time.