Creating a map of coral distribution with environmental DNA
The Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology has launched an online atlas mapping hard coral distribution across the Ryukyu Islands using environmental DNA (eDNA). This tool allows researchers and the public to track coral health and biodiversity in the region.
Why it matters
The atlas provides critical data for marine conservation efforts, enabling more efficient monitoring of reef-building corals in the face of environmental change.
by Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology
edited by Sadie Harley , reviewed by Andrew Zinin
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Add as preferred source Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain To track the impacts of environmental change and enable conservation efforts, we must first understand the composition of our ecosystems. A new online resource provides a comprehensive overview of hard coral distribution across the Ryukyu Islands, based on extensive environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis.
Developed by the Marine Genomics Unit at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) together with the Okinawa Environmental Science Center, the Ryukyu Islands Coral eDNA Atlas maps the distribution of reef-building corals detected in seawater samples collected at 231 locations, including Okinawa Island, the Kerama Islands, Kume Island and the Yaeyama Islands.
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