Reflections on Claims about Coral Cover (Part 1)
November 19, 2024 By jennifer
The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) put out a media release earlier today claiming to have scientifically documented changes in coral cover for the northern section of the Great Barrier Reef, particularly in the vicinity of Lizard Island. Claims include that:
The losses of coral we’ve recorded so far are significant. Despite these losses, coral cover on most reefs is at moderate levels of between 10 and 30%.
In fact, the method used to survey the corals makes it impossible to determine whether the loss is statistically significance or not, and the surveys were only of the reef perimeters, specifically avoiding habitats with higher levels of coral cover including the reef crest. So, claims that coral cover is between 10 and 30% really needs to be qualified.
https://jennifermarohasy.com/2024/11/reflections-on-claims-about-coral-cover-part-1/
