Abdulaziz Alghamdi
Saudi Arabian marine biologist restoring Red Sea coral reefs through community-led conservation
Abdulaziz Alghamdi is a Saudi marine biologist leading groundbreaking coral restoration efforts in the Red Sea. As director of the King Abdulaziz City for Marine Science, he pioneered the world's first coral nurseries using 3D-printed reef structures, a technique now replicated globally. His work directly addresses the 80% coral degradation observed in Saudi waters since 2015.
In 2021, he launched the Red Sea Guardians initiative, training 1,200 local divers and fishermen in coral propagation techniques. This community-driven approach resulted in 15km² of restored reefs by 2023, creating habitats for over 200 marine species. The project's success was featured in National Geographic's 2022 documentary series.
Alghamdi's research on Acropora coral resilience published in Nature Climate Change (2023) identified heat-resistant coral strains that can withstand temperature increases up to 3°C. This discovery has transformed global coral restoration strategies, adopted by projects in Australia's Great Barrier Reef and the Caribbean.
His 2024 book 《Coral Reefs of the Future》 presents a blueprint for climate-resilient marine ecosystems, with chapters co-written by Pacific islander communities. The book's methodology underpins the Saudi government's Vision 2030 environmental targets, aiming to protect 30% of marine areas by 2030.
Notable collaborations include:
- Partnership with Reef Check Foundation
- Joint research with Australian Institute of Marine Science
- Coral genome sequencing project with Illumina