Three undergraduate students, Angelie Donguines, Ale’a Duenas, and Dominic Torres participated in the University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant’s Research Education and Extensive Fellowship (REEF) program in Dr. Peter Houk’s lab at the University of Guam Marine Laboratory. Through hands-on projects involving coral skeleton identification, benthic image analysis, and contributing to regional datasets, the interns worked with the Micronesia Coral Reef Monitoring (MCRM) program and learned how to use scientific data and technology to support the protection and monitoring of coral reef ecosystems.

MCRM compiles and visualizes data from reefs across Micronesia. This platform was developed through the University of Guam, Micronesia Resource Agencies, and conservation partners, with Dr. Houk serving as the key scientific lead. The goal of this website is to assess and improve the effectiveness of marine conservation across the region by evaluating the overall reef ecosystem. MCRM does this by tracking benthic cover, composition, and fish populations. Additionally, the website tracks disturbance events and can identify potential reef health trajectories.

In Dr. Peter Houk’s lab, data is collected through benthic surveys conducted by research divers. In this process, divers lay out lines called transects and take photos at every meter for 250 meters, which can be distributed over several lines. The underwater photographs are uploaded to Coral Net for species identification. One intern, Dominic Torres, took part in a scientific diving course through the American Academy of Underwater Science. The class is centered around dive safety and rescue in case of an emergency. Through this certification, he can have a more active role in research and data collection.

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Inside the UOG CIS and Sea Grant REEF program, building capacity in our students