reefquest

ReefQuest is a collaborative initiative focused on monitoring, researching, and protecting coral reef ecosystems. It combines fieldwork, data science, and community participation to track reef health, biodiversity, and the effects of climate change on reef communities.

The name ReefQuest merges 'reef' with a sense of exploration. The program emphasizes open data, open methods, and the development of tools that can be used by researchers, educators, and local stakeholders to support reef management.

Origin and scope: Founded in 2012 by a coalition of academic institutions, non-profit organizations, and ocean educators, ReefQuest began with pilot surveys in select tropical regions and expanded into a network that spans multiple reef systems worldwide.

Activities: Researchers conduct standardized transects and documentation, deploy autonomous underwater vehicles and drift cameras, and collect environmental DNA samples. The project also incorporates satellite data, reef health indices, and citizen-science reports from divers and local communities.

Organization and funding: ReefQuest operates under a consortium model, with participating universities, conservation NGOs, and government partners. It relies on grants, philanthropy, and in-kind support to sustain field campaigns, data platforms, and training programs.

Impact and outputs: The project maintains an open-access data portal and analytical dashboards, enabling researchers and managers to assess bleaching risk, recovery trends, and species distributions. It aims to inform conservation planning, policy development, and public education about reef resilience.

See also: coral reef conservation, citizen science, marine data science.