Wired reefs

The Australian government is looking to computing technology to curtail water-borne pollution, which is destroying the Great Barrier Reef. The government intends to wire the reef network with a network of sensors that will relay information on water quality. Wiring will start with the Davies Reef and will build on the weather station already at the reef. Reef-based sensors will initially measure salinity, humidity and light. Rivers that open onto the reefs will contain sensors that will measure non-point source pollutants such as fertilizers.

Wiring the reefs is not easy:

Creating a wireless sensor network is challenging. An added difficulty in this project is the deployment of sensors in a marine environment: saltwater is corrosive and tropical waters encourage the growth of biological life on surfaces.

Data from the sensors will be used as inputs to computer models to project impacts on the corals, fish and overall reef quality.

For other instances of wired habitats, see the post on wired woods.

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