3D Modeling Coral Reefs: How Data Science Helps Us Better Understand Coral Reef Ecosystems (John Burns)

Abstract

Coral reefs are both culturally and economically important, yet these ecosystems still remain poorly understood. Join Dr. John Burns to learn how the Multiscale Environmental Graphical Analysis (MEGA) Lab uses cutting-edge 3D technology to map reefs in high-resolution. These 3D reconstructions are then layered with real-world data to improve our understanding of the biology and ecology of these habitats. This work has helped us to learn how coral reefs are changing over time, and how these changes affect associated reef organisms and the services we as humans depend on. Ultimately, our goal is to use innovative technologies to improve our understanding of coral reefs and develop techniques to help protect and preserve these ecosystems for future generations.

Bio

Dr. John Burns is an assistant professor of marine science and data science at UH Hilo. His research examines coral health and disease. His work has investigated the physiological impacts of disease on affected corals and how coral mortality affects the ecology and biology of coral reef ecosystems. John has recently developed innovative techniques to create three-dimensional maps of coral reefs to accurately measure how natural and human-induced disturbances impact ecosystem function.

Recording