WASHINGTON — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has a new online tool to visually examine data for coral reefs as the ecosystems face numerous environmental threats.

“The tool generates graphics that happen instantly as you make your selection,” National Coral Reef Monitoring Program coordinator Erica Towle said. “So, for the first time ever, people can actually get a very quick look at how the reefs are doing without having to do those analyses on their own.” 

NOAA’s National Coral Reef Monitoring Program has been collecting data as part of a standard program since 2013. NOAA collects and inputs all the data into the dashboard. 

As coral reefs face stressors, including climate change and pollution, Towle said the tool can be used to see how coral cover, density, disease, and bleaching have changed over time from Florida to Hawaii. 

“People often ask us, ‘Well, how are coral reefs really doing?’ And this tool, we hope, will help people sort of get a snapshot quick look to be able to answer that question, using a variety of different variables,” Towle said. 

Towle said the tool was created to help natural resource managers who work with coral reefs at the state or territorial level, but also said she anticipates others will check it out as well.

“We hope that other scientists and students use the tool,” she said. “Like I said, it’s free and open access, so anyone can access it.”

The dashboard can be viewed at ncrmp.coralreef.noaa.gov.