Earth Observation based Assessment of Anthropogenic Stress to Coral Reefs - A Global Analysis

In this paper a remote sensing based approach to assess potential anthropogenic stress to coral reefs worldwide is presented. Three reef stressors are analyzed using nighttime lights data derived from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) produced at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC). Artificial night lighting is an excellent proxy measure for associated human-caused stress. A growing body of evidence indicates that artificial sky brightness is a stressor for many reef organisms. A lights proximity index is calculated, measuring the distance of coral reef sites to each of the stressors and incorporating the stressor's intensity. The results are presented on a global and regional scale as colorized raster maps and region tables. The outcome should raise and encourage global ecological awareness and can be a useful input for the implementation of reef conservation projects.