So what was out there, and why?

JL

A common purpose – to help discover the health of the Maldives

Training at Baros and Embudhoo

Atolls - A special case

•This theory was finally proved in 1953 at Eniwetok atoll in the Marshall Islands, when a test boring through the reef hit volcanic rock at 1283 metres.

Eniwetok atoll

Inshore house reef

You learned what one of these was for

Biyadhoo an inshore reef

Low coral cover, even in shallow

What a contrast! (Biyadhoo to Ellaidhoo)

Ellaidhoo and Orimas Faru

Ellaidhoo and Orimas Faru

Go south (Angaga)

Angaga house reef

Angaga house reef

Go East (Vilamendhoo)

Healthy corals in shallow reef

But indications of disease, bleaching and excess nutrients

But in <1% of the coral population

The clean table tops of south Ari – are they ‘weeds’, or important for reef growth?

Table and branching Acropora dominate in more sheltered conditions

Reflected in outstanding coral recovery

site depth 1997 ('98 for Vilm) 2012 % bleaching

Ellaidhoo housereef3m 50.63 33 NA

12m 34.38 21 NA

Angaga northeast3m 49.38 61 NA

12m 26.88 46 NA

Angaga southwest3m 30.63 / 58.75 43 NA

12m 21.25 / 59.38 60 NA

Vilamendhoo*3m 5.63 48 / 61 85

10m 6.88 26 90