Indian Ocean Marine Science

The Indian Ocean is simultaneously one of planet Earth's most fascinating and most exploited oceans.

The Indian Ocean basin provides a huge ocean observatory where scientists can investigate complex marine ecosystems across a gradient of human influence from heavily populated coastal cities to remote, no-take Marine Protected Areas.

What is the impact?

Coral Bleaching

This is the phenomenon of coral turning white due to extreme stress. When coral gets too hot due to a change in water temperature, it expels the algae in its tissue that provide the coral with food from photosynthesis.  If temperatures stay high over long periods many of the corals will not regain their algae and will die. Mass bleaching events have been observed around the world with increasing frequency and severity since the mid-80s. A sustained marine heatwave hit Indian Ocean reefs really hard in 2016 and 2017 with large-scale coral mortality.

After mass bleaching events corals struggle to keep up with the forces that naturally bore into them, graze on them and break them down through storms. Their ability to grow their calcium skeletons is reduced and their reproduction is impacted. 

Over time reefs start to break down physically and this impacts the biodiversity they support. Coral reefs provide shelter and protection from predators for a wide range of species. Our research has revealed the huge diversity of species living within the reef structure such as crabs and sea slugs, and the role they play in supporting juvenile sea turtles as they grow. 

What is more, coral reefs provide natural barriers to absorb the force of waves, meaning with fewer of these coral reefs present in our ocean, coastal communities are put at risk.

Our programme monitors how different reefs react to these warming and bleaching events over the short, medium and long term. Through collaboration with other scientists studying other aspects of the marine environment, we hope to uncover the wider impacts of coral reef loss and identify conservation actions that can build resilience to this crucial ecosystem. 

ZSL & Bertarelli Foundation – The Marine Science Programme

Since 2017, ZSL has worked with the Bertarelli Foundation to deliver the Marine Science programme. The programme is advancing our understanding of large marine protected areas (MPAs) so they can be better managed. The primary focus of this research is the Indian Ocean, with highly collaborative and interdisciplinary projects led by some of the world’s leading marine scientists pushing the boundaries of their fields.

We are working with universities and NGOs across the Indian Ocean region (SDG target 14.5), and research partners in Europe, North America and Australia, to increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology (SDG target 14.A). We are funding and proactively recruiting early-career scientists and students from within the Indian Ocean region.

We are exploring approaches that improve communication of marine science to different audiences, increasing regional opportunities and access to marine science. This currently includes the Webby Award winning podcast series ‘Ocean Matters’, webinars, policy events and a regional training course for environmental journalists from the Indian Ocean region. 

The programme is an official action of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, seeking to address the following UN Decade challenges:

• CHALLENGE 2: Protect and restore ecosystems and biodiversity, by understanding how large MPAs protect species and increase resilience against climate change.
   
• CHALLENGE 9: Skills, knowledge and technology for all, by training marine scientists with a focus on those from the Indian Ocean region.
   
• CHALLENGE 10: Change humanity’s relationship with the ocean, through effective science to policy and practice, communication, and community engagement. 

Find out more

Operations & Development

The team at ZSL manages the Marine Science programme as whole coordinating 93 scientists across 24 institutions and six countries globally. As well as coordination, communications and operational support for the projects provided by a team of three in Conservation and Policy, we also have scientists working on research projects that range from seabirds to cetaceans to tackling illegal fishing. 
Project Impacts: 

• Impact 1 – Our cutting-edge research has generated 121 peer-reviewed papers from 2017-2021. We provide open-access data to inform improved management outcomes across the region.
   
• Impact 2 – Our focus on capacity building has trained 23 postgraduate students since 2017, with a current focus on students from the Indian Ocean region.
   
• Impact 3 – Our research has demonstrated the link between rat-free islands with intact native vegetation, healthy seabird populations and resilience that confers on adjacent coral reefs through nutrient flow.

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