Survey finds 20,400 hectares of coral reefs off Brazil’s coast
An unprecedented survey has discovered 20,400 hectares of coral reefs in shallow waters off the Brazilian coast. These marine environments, formed by coral limestone and algae, were detected using optical sensors on satellites.
“The Brazilian coast, with no great sedimentary discharge from its rivers, has clear waters that allow for significant light penetration. This is one of the factors that explains the high concentration of coral reefs in the region,” says researcher Cesar Diniz, from MapBiomas' Coastal Zone mapping team.
The study is part of Collection 9 of MapBiomas' annual land cover and land use maps, launched on Wednesday (Aug. 21) in Brasília.
This first release, which is a preliminary study, focuses on the extent of coral reefs and will lay the groundwork for comprehensive monitoring. This ongoing research will track factors such as water temperature, ecosystem balance, and the impacts of climate change on ecosystem services.
Climate change
According to Diniz, monitoring the effects of climate change on this ecosystem has become necessary due to the increase in the average temperature of the oceans and the consequent bleaching and death of corals.
“It is estimated that a quarter of all marine life is dependent on corals at some point in its life. Therefore, monitoring the country's coral conditions is absolutely relevant to all of us. Even if we don't realize it, we are all associated with the ecosystem services provided by coral reefs,” he emphasized.
Most of the ecosystems (72%) were found within Brazilian Marine Conservation Units. The main unit mapped, corresponding to 33 percent of the ecosystems identified, was the Ponta da Baleia/ Abrolhos Environmental Protection Area (APA), in the coastal zone of the municipalities of Alcobaça and Caravelas, in southern Bahia.
