Max Planck Institute for Chemistry and local partners conduct research on reef health   |09 November 2021

Dr Foreman during his presentation (Photo: Thomas Meriton)

Results from samples collected from the Seychelles coral reefs as part of an international project on the implications of climate change and reef health are to be published in around a year-and-a-half to two years.

Dr Alan Foreman, researcher with the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Germany, in a presentation held yesterday afternoon at the University of Seychelles (UniSey), explained to local stakeholders the aim of the project  entitled ‘Reconstructing the Indian Ocean oxygen deficit zone and nutrient dynamics across the Anthropocene using nitrogen isotope measurements of massive Porites corals from the Seychelles’.

As detailed by Dr Foreman, the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Germany has, in collaboration with UniSey, the Save Our Seas Foundation and other local stakeholders, conducted research at Anse Royale, Anse à la Mouche, Baie Ternay National Park, D’Arros and St Joseph islands, with the aim of gathering data that will help answer questions as to the long-term health and future of the oceans as global climate continues to change.

The project comprises two main components; the first of which seeks to trace the changes and implications of climate change on reefs over the years, while the second is focused on reef health around Mahé, the main and most inhabited island of the Seychelles.

“Ultimately we want to have an understanding of whether there are human inputs to the reefs that may be altering the health of the reefs around Mahé, in particular if there are nutrients such as fertilisers and sewage that are making their way to the reef, and how that may be affecting reef health over time. Its work we are doing to try and compliment the Ridge to Reef programme that the Seychelles is a part of,” Dr Foreman said.

“The reefs are extremely important to all nations that have them, they play a huge role culturally, socially and also economically. They are at the same time very threatened by climate change and by human impacts and so being able to understand the impacts that have already occurred helps us predict how they may occur in the future as these problems continue to worsen. Therefore, we hope to provide records that allow us to assess the impacts that humans are having on the reefs, and to help us protect the reefs in the future,” Dr Foreman added.

To be able to obtain such data, Dr Foreman and his team extracted certain coral samples, by drilling carefully into the corals and extracting a core measuring 40 centimetres up to 1 metre and around 4.5 centimetres in diametre.  The core is then replaced by a plug, and eventually new coral layers will grow over it. Dr Foreman assured stakeholders that the method is non-invasive, with only a small live layer at the top, while the other layers are dead/ skeletal. Samples were extracted from reefs around St Joseph over a two-week period, and others from Mahé over an additional two weeks.

Upon the completion of analysis and further studies in Germany, the results are to be published in scientific journals and then present them to our colleagues for peer-review. Once published, the Max Planck Institute is to provide the results and findings to stakeholders and other government agencies to guide them in understanding how the reefs may have changed over time and guide policy actions to mitigate further damage.

Laura Pillay