Coral reef ecosystems are among the most biologically diverse and complex marine ecosystems worldwide. In addition to their biological and ecological importance, coral reefs support major economic and physical functions (e.g. food production, tourism, biotechnology development and coast protection) that are essential for many countries. This is particularly true in the Pacific Ocean where coral reefs sustain local economy of a great numbers of Pacific Islands and Territories (Costanza et al. 1997, Chin et al. 2011). Unfortunately, the frequency and severity of natural and anthropogenic perturbations on coral reefs have greatly increased worldwide since the last three decades, and, as a consequence, reef communities (fish, coral and benthic invertebrates) have suffered unprecedented levels of mortality (e.g., Salvat 1980, Hughes et al. 2003, Burke et al. 2011, Wilkinson et al. 2013). Current estimates indicate that 20% of coral reefs are already definitively destroyed, another 25% are in great immediate threat, and another 25% will be threatened by 2050 due to the effects of coastal development, over-fishing and multiple factors associated with global climate change (GCRMN 2008, Chin et al. 2011, van Hooidonk et al. 2013). In this context of increasing degradation of coral reefs, several surveys were conducted and data were analysed to document changes in reef communities (i.e., “monitoring”) and the impacts of natural and anthropogenic disturbances (Wilkinson et al. 2013). Unfortunately, in coral reefs, few long-term monitoring exist (Wilkinson et al. 2013), and focus mainly on coral (e.g., Bruno and Selig 2007, Thompson & Dolman 2010; Sweatman et al. 2011, Kelmo & Attrill 2013), fish (e.g., Jackson et al. 2001, Jones et al. 2004, Munday et al. 2008, Wilson et al. 2010) or the relationship between herbivory (especially sea-urchin) and algal dynamics (e.g., Aronson & Precht 2000, McManus & Polsenberg 2004, Lessios 2005, Francini-Filho et al. 2013). Vetea is the specialist of coral monitoring in the South Pacific at the Criobe research center. He is involved in all monitoring conducted by Criobe at Moorea, French Polynesia and South Pacific Island.
