Before getting into the details of coding, skills and tools utilised for formatting and standardisation of coral reef monitoring data, this module aims to provide information on the broader context of the training itself.
In particular, we would like to provide information of how coral reef monitoring data are related to broader societal goals and global monitoring systems. The ability to link your local monitoring efforts to these frameworks is important context for the way GCRMN has created standards and protocols that facilitate the aggregation of data for localities, regions and - ultimately - global scales. This aspect is crucial to inform managers on the Status & Trends of coral reef ecosystems and understanding progress towards meeting targets for sustainable development.
In this module, we provide background of how GCRMN, as a global network, has identified key indicators, the level of detail required and an example of how this process has been followed for an example region of the Western Indian Ocean. These standards have facilitated the production of the first global assessment of the status & trends of coral reefs in 2020.
One of the motivations for providing these training materials in a self-paced, on-line format was to facilitate future data reporting for the regions and global assessments and support managers, resource users and decision-makers in coral reef conservation and restoration.
This module should take approximately ~45 minutes.