Global Distribution of Coral Reefs

This dataset shows the global distribution of coral reefs in tropical and subtropical regions. It is the most comprehensive global dataset of warm-water coral reefs to date, acting as a foundation baseline map for future, more detailed, work. This dataset was compiled from a number of sources by UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) and the WorldFish Centre, in collaboration with WRI (World Resources Institute) and TNC (The Nature Conservancy). Data sources include the Millennium Coral Reef Mapping Project (IMaRS-USF and IRD 2005, IMaRS-USF 2005) and the World Atlas of Coral Reefs (Spalding et al. 2001).
Purpose IMaRS-USF was funded by the Oceanography Program of NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) to provide an exhaustive worlwide inventory of coral reefs using high-resolution satellite imagery, under the framework of the Millenium Coral Reef Mapping Project. As a fully validated Millennium Coral Reef Mapping Project product was not available at the global scale, there was a need to create an 'interim' global amalgamated map product. The dataset was hence created to further mobilise the Millennium Coral Reef Mapping Project products and their validation.

本数据集展示了热带及亚热带区域珊瑚礁的全球分布格局，是目前最全面的全球暖水珊瑚礁数据集，可作为未来更精细化研究的基础基准底图。

该数据集由联合国环境规划署世界保护监测中心（UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre, UNEP-WCMC）与世界渔业中心联合编制，并得到世界资源研究所（World Resources Institute, WRI）以及大自然保护协会（The Nature Conservancy, TNC）的协作支持。数据来源包括《千年珊瑚礁制图项目》（IMaRS-USF与IRD 2005、IMaRS-USF 2005）以及《全球珊瑚礁地图集》（Spalding等2001）。

【编制目的】
IMaRS-USF由美国国家航空航天局（National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA）海洋学项目资助，旨在依托《千年珊瑚礁制图项目》框架，利用高分辨率卫星影像完成全球珊瑚礁的全面清查。由于全球尺度下尚未有经过全面验证的《千年珊瑚礁制图项目》成品，因此亟需构建一份“过渡性”的全球合并地图产品。本数据集的创建正是为了进一步推广《千年珊瑚礁制图项目》的相关产品及其验证工作。