Chronicling coral death

How would a geologist approach an assessment of the health of coral reefs? Readers of the June 1997 issue of Geotimes learn the answer by following the thoughts of George, a fictional geologist attending an international conference on global reef decline. In “Gauging the Health of the World's Coral Reefs: Monitoring vs. Mapping,” University of Miami marine geologist Robert N. Ginsburg, using the voice of George, suggests that mapping dead and dying corals would document the history and extent of reef decline and provide more clues about the relationship between coral health and such factors as location and ocean circulation than would monitoring. By some estimates, as many as 10% of the world's reefs have been seriously damaged by over‐exploitation, pollution, disease, ocean warming, and predators. Twenty years ago, 50% of the sea floor near Jamaica was covered by living coral; today, that coverage has decreased to 5%. In response to this decline, an international coalition has designated 1997 as the International Year of the Reef.