Marine Science
Cheap fixes aid global coral reef conservation
Reliable and standardized ocean temperature monitoring is crucial for advancing our understanding of coral survival and guiding restoration efforts.

A new study by KAUST researchers reveals that the simple act of shielding ocean thermometers from the sun may improve coral reef restoration efforts[1]. The study, published in PLOS Climate, emphasizes the need for standardized practices to ensure reliable temperature measurements. It also positions KAUST to advise and set guidelines for coral restoration and monitoring efforts in the Red Sea.
Coral reefs occupy about 1% of the ocean, but they support over 25% of marine life. Economically, they are worth several trillion dollars annually and support the livelihood of over one billion people. Consequently, coral restoration and conservation efforts are rapidly growing for reefs worldwide, including in the Red Sea.
Rising ocean temperatures are the primary cause of coral bleaching and death around the world. Many corals already live at their maximum temperature threshold, and increases as small as 1°C can have devastating consequences. The role of subtle temperature changes on coral populations underscores the importance of accurately measuring ocean temperatures when planning restoration efforts worldwide. The need for water temperature measurements has led to a rapid growth in commercially available temperature loggers, yet there is little guidance on best practices.
“A little more than ten years ago, there was only one or two companies selling temperature loggers. Today, more than 10 companies are offering popular products,” said KAUST postdoc Walter Rich, who was part of the study.
The KAUST team led by Michael D. Fox determined that the accuracy of 10 common temperature loggers manufactured by six companies varied widely and that almost all models produced erroneously high temperatures when not shielded from direct sunlight.
To show this variability, working with the KAUST Coral Restoration Initiative — responsible for the largest coral restoration effort in the Red Sea — they reviewed 329 coral reef studies published between 2013 and 2022. Less than 5% of the studies reported intentionally shading their loggers, such as inserting them inside a PVC tube. This lack of proper deployment methods threatens the accuracy of global reef temperature records; indeed, experiments conducted by the research team found that if unprotected, recorded temperatures were inaccurately high, some by as much as 3°C.
The potential implications of inaccurately high-temperature measurements are widespread. For example, strategies for coral restoration may be assessing incorrect temperature thresholds for corals, risking poor selection of locations and species. The scientists argue that for proper scientific comparisons, research groups should embrace standards for temperature logger deployment and calibration and transparently report their methods.
Moreover, with Saudi Arabia beginning its huge investment in coral restoration and reef monitoring, the findings welcome a cheap and straightforward method to lower the cost and increase the success of the Kingdom’s coral restoration efforts.
“Our motivation for the study was to provide guidelines for Red Sea coral restoration and environmental monitoring on Saudi Arabian reefs. By demonstrating the benefits of this simple solution, we hope to facilitate new efforts to monitor ocean temperature that will have tremendous benefits to our understanding of coral survival in the Red Sea and beyond,” said Fox.
Reference
- Rich, W.A., Glanz, J.S., Mele, G., Burt, N.J., Carvalho, S., et al. Widespread inconsistency in logger deployment methods in coral reef studies may bias perceptions of thermal regimes. PLOS Climate 3(12): e0000517 (2024).| article
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