ABSTRACT
Coral reefs are crucial ecosystems that support marine biodiversity and provide invaluable services to human communities. The Indo-Pacific region boasts the greatest coral reef diversity worldwide, with over 600 species of reef-building corals and 2,000 species of reef fishes. In India, the four primary coral reef regions include the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay, the Gulf of Kachchh, the Lakshadweep Archipelago, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Despite their importance, these reefs face significant threats from climate change, ocean acidification, pollution, and overfishing, leading to a decline in coral cover and diversity, which undermines the productivity and resilience of these ecosystems. Information on coral coverage in Andhra Pradesh, however, remains limited. A recent study conducted from 2019 to 2023 surveyed four sites (15 subsites) along the Visakhapatnam coast using SCUBA diving and digital photography to document coral diversity. The findings revealed that Chintapalle Beach exhibited the highest live coral cover at 23%. This research underscores the ecological value of Andhra Pradesh’s coral diversity and highlights the urgent need for robust conservation and management efforts to protect these critical marine habitats.
AUTHOR AFFILIATIONS
1 Zoological Survey of India, Sunderban Regional Centre, Canning 743329, WB, India
2 Zoological Survey of India. M-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata 700053, WB, India
CITATION
Yogesh Kumar JS, Sen A, Panda P and Raghunathan C (2025) Diversity and Distribution of Coral Community from Visakhapatnam Coast, Andhra Pradesh. Environmental Science Archives 4(2): 416-427.
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