Ningaloo Marine Park off Western Australia’s north-west coast would benefit from additional protection to help defend it against the effects of climate change, researchers have found.

Murdoch University led the study that mapped the most resilient habitats of the more than 263,000-hectare World Heritage-listed park using remote sensing.

The resilience of each area was measured by its depth, structural complexity, amount of water mixing, seaweed cover, live coral cover and proximity to human activity.

The study suggests existing sanctuary zones could be expanded to cover the deeper, offshore areas to keep the most resilient areas of the reef healthy and protected.

“Ningaloo Reef is the jewel in Western Australia’s natural crown but one of the biggest threats it is facing is climate change,” lead author Harriet Davies said.

“By ensuring the no-take sanctuary zones are protecting the most resilient areas of the reef, we would be doing the best we can to ensure Ningaloo’s survival.”

Co-author Professor Lynnath Beckley said the Ningaloo Marine Park management plan is due for a 10-year review and it is an opportune time to consider further protection.

“It’s a good time to consider the possible implications of climate change on the park and based on this and other research there could possibly be some incremental refinement of the park to protect the deeper more resilient areas,” Professor Beckley said.

The study was a collaboration between Murdoch University, the Australian Institute of Marine Science and South Africa’s Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University.

-ABC