The VICAR
Research Themes
VICAR’s research themes focus on three connected parts of our ocean system: coral reefs, mangrove forests, and the open ocean. These environments support fisheries, tourism, and shoreline resilience yet they are being reshaped by repeated stressors such as storms, warming, disease, and drought. Our goal is to understand how and why these ecosystems are changing, and to produce evidence that helps people plan, protect, and restore these systems.
Across all themes, VICAR pairs long-term monitoring with a repeatable technology workflow that can scale across sites and years. Underwater robots and uncrewed platforms collect high-density imagery and sensor data; 3D mapping turns images into measurable habitat “snapshots”; and AI helps classify patterns consistently so results can be compared over time. These steps are integrated through VICARIUS, the project’s system of standard procedures, software, and AI models designed for long-term use and continuous improvement.
Explore The Themes
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Coral Reef Ecosystem Research
Coral reefs in the U.S. Virgin Islands are increasingly altered by storms, disease, and bleaching. VICAR examines how these changing reef communities function and persist, using long-term monitoring, 3D mapping, and standardized data pipelines to identify conditions that support recovery and inform management.
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Mangrove Monitoring & Restoration
Mangroves protect shorelines and support coastal ecosystems but face growing stress from climate change and development. VICAR uses drone-based mapping and 3D modeling to track mangrove health and restoration outcomes, producing consistent, monitoring-ready data that helps guide planning and long-term assessment.
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Open Ocean Observation
Offshore ocean conditions influence coastal ecosystems by driving temperature, currents, and chemistry. VICAR collects continuous water-column and acoustic data using autonomous gliders, linking offshore changes to reef and mangrove responses through standardized workflows that support monitoring, analysis, and decision-making.
Coral Reef Ecosystem Research
Coral reefs of the U.S. Virgin Islands are the foundational marine ecosystem around the islands, providing shoreline protection, habitat for fish and other organisms, and generating millions of dollars a year in tourism.
U.S.V.I. reefs have experienced repeated disturbances that have shifted reef communities and reduced coral cover over time, including severe hurricane impacts, disease outbreaks, and mass bleaching events. These changes have altered the structure and composition of reef ecosystems across the region, raising important questions about how reefs function as conditions continue to change.
