China enhances coral reef monitoring with new technology

Chinese scientists working to protect coral reefs have begun using new technical guidelines issued by the South China Sea Ecological Center under the Ministry of Natural Resources.

The guidelines, which outline standards for the use of environmental DNA (eDNA), are seen as a major step forward in China's ability to monitor coral reef biodiversity and provide early warnings about harmful organisms.

Coral reefs are under severe threat from global warming, periodic outbreaks of the destructive crown-of-thorns starfish, and human activities, resulting in large-scale coral mortality, bleaching, and habitat degradation. This underscores the urgent need for more efficient and precise monitoring and early warning methods.

The new technical guidelines are the first to systematically apply environmental DNA, or eDNA, technology to coral reef ecological monitoring in the South China Sea. By collecting biological DNA fragments from seawater, researchers can quickly identify coral species and the distribution of invasive crown-of-thorns starfish, significantly improving monitoring efficiency and coverage.

"The implementation of these standards provides a new, highly efficient technological option for coral reef monitoring, which is of great significance for assessing coral reef biodiversity and ecological health. Moving forward, we will continue to conduct research on coral reef biodiversity trends in the South China Sea using eDNA technology, further improve the genetic database, optimize the early warning for crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks and promote a standardized application of the technology to strengthen the ecological security of the South China Sea," said Zheng Chengzhi, an engineer at the South China Sea Ecological Center under China's Ministry of Natural Resources.

Since pilot testing began in 2022, the South China Sea Ecological Center has established a preliminary genetic database and developed a risk assessment method for crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks, enabling the precise identification of high-risk areas. The new guidelines offer unified and reliable technical standards for eDNA-based early warning and monitoring efforts across the country.

China enhances coral reef monitoring with new technology

People in Yemen are struggling for survival as the country continues to grapple with a deepening labor crisis after more than a decade of war, with many lamenting the lack of opportunities which are leaving the livelihoods of many hanging in the balance.

As the world marks International Workers' Day on Friday, the situation in Yemen seems all the more poignant as millions of people are finding it increasingly hard to find any work at all.

In the crowded streets of the capital Sana'a, workers gather on street corners, waiting for jobs that may never come. Ahmed Muawadah is one of the many who are sitting here, watching passing cars, desperately hoping that one will stop and offer work.

"Our suffering is that we sit here without work. Sometimes we spend a whole month without working, except for one day, or just one day every two weeks. Work is very limited, almost non-existent. I have nine children, and I only work one day a month. I cannot support them. Jobs have completely disappeared. If opportunities were opened for us, I and all the workers would work," said Muawadah.

This individual story reflects a broader reality affecting an estimated eight million workers across Yemen. Many of them are hoping to receive a daily wage, but the challenges are mounting in an increasingly strained labor market.

Activity in key sectors such as construction and services has dropped sharply, largely due to the suspension of several international initiatives, including those backed by the World Bank. As a result, income opportunities have narrowed for those who rely primarily on daily wages.

Meanwhile, the widening impact of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and the disruption caused along the key Strait of Hormuz -- a key shipping route for global trade -- has brought more misery in recent weeks.

"There has been a significant decline in business activity as a result of the war, the blockade, and the disruption of work. Foreign capital has also left the country, and large companies have moved out of Yemen and stopped their operations. This is one of the main reasons," said Abdul Karim Al, secretary general of the General Federation of Trade Unions in Sana'a.

Yemen residents struggling to survive as work dries up amid deepening labor crisis