Making Waves: Student Contributions to Coral Reef Preservation

Technical innovations in underwater data collection have allowed scientists to study marine systems from anywhere, even in a landlocked desert. Among those scientists are BYU students Anna Terry (BIO '27) and Ivy Bretzing (BIO '26), who have conducted vital research on the stability and safety of the coral reefs along Oahu, Hawaii, from the Gill Lab in Utah. Using autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) to photograph the ocean floor, Terry and Bretzing are contributing to the protection of these reefs as ocean temperatures threaten to erode them away.

Terry and Bretzing work closely with Kuleana Coral Restoration, a non-profit organization, and BYU Hawaii to deploy drones into ocean waters to photograph the extensive reefs that line Hawaiian shores. From there, Terry and Bretzing use the photos in the Gill Lab, where they apply four different color-correction models to scan the coral for disease or degradation. Using benthic classification systems to code different parts of the reef, theyve been able to track the growth of the coral over several years, as well as predict when the reef is threatened. All this data is focused on protecting Hawaiis valuable coastline. With the data Terry and Bretzing collect, Kuleana Coral Restoration can nurture and protect the reefs, which significantly contribute to Oahus marine ecosystem and fishing industry.

The more that we study coral reefs, the more we can better monitor and save them, Bretzing affirms. Her interest in conservation led her to study biology with a specific focus on photogrammetry and geographic information systems (GIS). I'm really interested in using GIS and remote sensing to answer ecological questions, Bretzing adds. Many of those important questions relate to coral reefs.

Terry felt a similar calling to biology. Ive always been really curious about the intersection between biology and computer science. Shes majoring in bioinformatics, applying hard computational skills to analyze the data that she and Bretzing collect.

Studying coral reefs has challenged Terry and Bretzing in unexpected ways. Multiple times, they have experienced setbacks in their data with no clear path forward, allowing them to seek inspiration and get creative under the guidance of their mentor, Dr. Richard Gill. It's been such a cool opportunity to be able to take a problem and brainstorm, then reach out to other people and find a solution, Bretzing says. She and Terry ultimately built their own support network, coordinating with programs like the BYU Field Robotic Systems Lab (FRoSt) to improve their AUVs and enhance their research.

Though their focus is on the physical world, both Terry and Bretzing have found the spiritual world at the center of their work. I think all of us and our individual majors can come together on one fundamental principle, Bretzing states, that even though we study different things in our time here at BYU, we are all becoming more like our Creator, because He is everything that we study. Terry agrees, adding, We all have a deep appreciation for the world. Being able to appreciate what we have and protect itkeeping it healthyis one of the most spiritual things Ive been able to do.

Bretzing and Terrys efforts with Kuleana Coral Restoration have helped them understand that science can make a difference in peoples lives. Ultimately, research is always about the people that we're working with and the communities that we're protecting, Bretzing explains. This perspective enabled them to become better scientists through their work protecting Oahus coral reefs.