Todd R. Forsgren

Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures 

At first glance, these images are reminiscent of abstraction expressionist paintings, like the work of Jackson Pollock. However, on closer inspection it is clear that these aren’t drips and splashes of paint made by an artist baring the depths of his soul. The patterns, forms, and colors are created by marine flora and fauna growing on research plates set out by scientists to monitor the vitality and health of the ocean’s reefs… With this in mind, I think of one of Pollock’s most famous quips, rather than his paintings: “I don’t paint nature. I am nature."

To the scientific community, the data is abundantly clear. The world’s oceans are undergoing unprecedented changes in water level, temperature, and acidity. Coral reefs are especially vulnerable to these fluctuations. If this continues unchecked, the reefs will all but disappear by the end of this century. This is especially tragic since reefs are among the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet and are vital breeding and feeding grounds to many species that range far beyond their boundaries.

A global coalition of scientists is currently working to better understand the impact of climate change on reef ecology as well as develop management systems that could mitigate the consequences. Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (A.R.M.S.) are one tool being utilized by these researchers. Though the term sounds high tech, and many aspects of this research are, the structures themselves are remarkably simple: a stack of 9”x9” PVC panels that get left in the ocean for months or even years. During this time, the structures become covered with corals, sponges, and other marine life. These images are photographs of A.R.M.S. plates taken by scientists just before the organisms are removed from the plates for molecular analysis.

I consider these plates as analogous to photographic film (although the yearlong time that an A.R.M.S. is “exposed” at sea is substantially longer than the typical photographic moment). Much like a camera, A.R.M.S. allow us to see the world in a way we cannot directly observe. The new data being gained through this technique allows us to see a possible future of the oceans. If we don’t change course, it will be a future without coral reefs.

Reflecting on this, I recall a quote from Roland Barthes’s Camera Lucida. Referring to a photograph of a prisoner bound for execution, Barthes wrote, "He is dead and he is going to die..."