S China's Guangdong province launches benthic survey on coral reefs

South China's Guangdong province recently launched this year’s benthic survey on coral reefs, with a focus on evaluating the recovery of bleached corals and the restoration of damaged ones over the past two years.

Researchers from the Shenzhen Institute of Guangdong Ocean University and four volunteer teams undertook the task. Equipped with professional equipment, including handheld GPS devices, underwater cameras, and diving equipment, they dived underwater into the sea and monitored the latest changes in the eco-environment of coral reefs in coastal areas.

Coral reefs, part and parcel of the marine eco-environment, provide shelter for a wide variety of marine life and protect coastlines from storms and erosion by shielding the shoreline from waves. China has carried out coral surveys for 15 consecutive years.