Coral reefs are having a hard time. Reefs in the Coral Triangle stand out for their species richness, yet they are in close proximity to areas with high human population densities. Ongoing anthropogenic environmental changes in the sea, on land and in the atmosphere have severely degraded many important coral reef environments. Will these reefs stand a chance in the future with ongoing climate change and pollution?
This program ran from 2020-2025 and is now completed
Inshort
4D-REEF is a research programme funded by the European Union under the Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. The research consortium brings together researchers from 18 different organisations across Europe and southeast Asia. 18 Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) form the backbone of the 4D-REEF research programme. Naturalis is the lead beneficiary organisation of the programme with Willem Renema as the Programme Coordinator. Three ESRs were based at Naturalis: Elsa Girard (finished 2025), William Harrison and Mike Hynes (finished 2027).
Innovative training network
Combining a variety of geological, biological and climate data, 4D-REEF investigates the hypothesis that turbid coastal environments provide a refuge for coral reefs in periods of warm climate. Besides a collaborative research programme, this Innovative Training Network is also focused on providing training to the ESRs in a range of skills to enhance their understanding of the systems they work in, synthesize their research, communicate with a variety of audiences, and support their personal development. Naturalis will play an active role in providing this training, hosting network events, and host several ESRs for secondments during their research projects.
Fundingby the EU
4D-REEF has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 813360.
