The Virtual Coral Reef is a simulation of a coral reef located in the Indo-Pacific ocean which has been developed by the Computer Graphics and Virtual Reality Research Lab (CGVR), University of Bremen, and the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research, Bremen, Germany.

Coral reefs are one of the most diverse marine ecosystems, a home of thousands of animal species and even protecting the coastline from waves caused by storms. But coral reefs are fragile, because of their sensibility to water conditions. Most reefs grow best in warm, shallow, clear, sunny and agitated water. In recent decades, coral reefs are dying around the world due to human impact, for instance, coral mining, overfishing, canals digging, marine pollution, and so on. A research in 2008 shows, that around 19% of the coral reefs had already been lost, and only 46% of the coral reefs around the world might be considered as healthy. Without coral reefs, there will be great damage to biodiversity and ecological environment.

With the virtual coral reef we want to draw attention to the ongoing destruction of coral reefs around the world. Through the real time visualization of scientific data, the project is giving users an immersive and realistic insight into the life of coral reefs. With individually adjustable parameters like water temperature or day time settings, their effect on marine ecosystems can be observed.

Through a simulated diving metaphor, users can experience the coral reef and polluted underwater environment in virtual reality with a head-mounted display (HMD). Users will embody in a diver avatar, and interact with items in the virtual environment with high-level fidelity.

Please contact us in case you are interested in research on virtual reality digital twins of coral reefs or other underwater habitats