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Lakshadweep Coral Reefs Decline by Fifty Percent

Why in the News ?

A 24-year-long monitoring study has revealed that coral cover in the Lakshadweep archipelago has declined by nearly 50% since 1998 due to repeated marine heatwaves, worsened by climate change, and reduced recovery after each bleaching event.

Findings of Long-Term Coral Survey:

  • Coral decline: Coral cover fell from 37.24% in 1998 to 19.6% in 2022, a nearly 50% reduction.

  • Cause: Repeated marine heatwaves triggered by El Niño events (1998, 2010, 2016) are the main reason.

  • Recovery lag: Although coral mortality decreased in each event, the rate of recovery also dropped.

  • Critical gap: A six-year period without bleaching is needed for coral reefs to recover significantly.

  • Predictive value: The study offers a predictive framework to identify vulnerable and recoverable reefs.

Influencing Factors and Local Conditions

  • Study locations: Coral health was tracked at Agatti, Kadmat, and Kavaratti atolls.

  • Environmental filtering: Wave exposure and depth were found to influence reef resilience.

  • Reef response: These local factors determine how reefs respond to climate stress.

  • Heatwave frequency: The number of marine heatwave events directly correlates with coral damage.

  • Monitoring agency: Study was led by the Nature Conservation Foundation.
About the Coral Reefs and ENSO Events: Coral bleaching: Caused by loss of symbiotic algae due to heat stress.

ENSO impact: El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) drives ocean warming, leading to bleaching.

Biodiversity role: Reefs are hotspots of marine biodiversity and support coastal communities.

Recovery timeline: Coral reefs require multiple stable years for regeneration.

Conservation need: Highlights urgency for climate mitigation and marine conservation efforts.