CLASS DIV ROLL NO.

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

F. Y. B.COM. C 359 2011-12

TOPIC CORAL REEFS OF ANDAMANISLAND CORAL REEFS OF ANDAMAN ISLAND

CORAL REEFS OF ANDAMAN

TABLE OF CONTENT
SR. NO. 1 2 3 PARTICULAR INTRODUCTION TO ANDAMAN. ANDAMAN & CORAL REEFS . WHAT IS CORAL ? SLIDE NO. 4 7 9

4 (a) TYPES OF 3 MAIN CORAL REEFS .

4 (b) TYPES OF OTHER REEFS. 5 6 7 CORALS OF ANDAMAN. IMPORTANCE OF CORALS. THREATS TO CORALS.

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11 13 14 18

ANDAMAN ISLAND
INTRODUCTION
Located in Bay Of Bengal. Geographical Area 8300 Sq Kms.

Emerged Part of a Mountain Chain lying on a ridge.

Extend from Irrawaddy delta area of Burma , continuing the trend of Arakan Yoma range.

 They consist of 350 islands, of which only 38 are inhabited along with a number of exposed islets and rocks. The principal of these are the North Andaman, Middle Andaman with Ritchies archipelago to the east, South Andaman, little Andaman, Baratang and Rutland island. Barren island lies to the east with Narcondum and other extinct volcanoes to the north (Reddiah, 1977).

The larger islands are mountainous and several are fully forested.

 Mangroves form extensive coverage along the shores. Annual rainfall is about 3000 mm and salinity of the waters is around 33 ppt. The coral reefs are of fringing type and except for a few investigation reports the reefs of the area still largely remain unknown. A deep oceanic ridge along 10N separates the Andaman Group and the Nicobar group of Islands. The general orientation is north-south

Andaman & coral reefs

Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals.
Corals are colonies of tiny living animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, which in turn consist of polyps that cluster in groups.

The polyps are like tiny sea anemones, to which they are closely related.

 But unlike sea anemones, coral polyps secrete hard carbonate exoskeletons which support and protect their bodies. Reefs grow best in warm, shallow, clear, sunny and agitated waters.

Most coral reefs were formed after the last glacial period when melting ice caused the sea level to rise and flood the continental shelves. This means that most coral reefs are less than 10,000 years old.

What is coral ?
Its a living organism!
It is an invertebrate 2 different types:
1. 2. Reef Building: Hermatypic Solitary: Ahermatypic

Coral is cousins to jellyfish and anemones (Cnidarians) Today we will talk mainly about reef building coral

Corals can build three main types of reefs:

1. Fringing: grows close to shore
2. Barrier: also grows close to shore but has a lagoon separating it from the shore

3. Atoll: a ring of coral that surrounds a lagoon, often grows on a submerged mountain or volcano

Types of other reefs

Patch reef this type is an isolated, comparatively small reef outcrop, usually within a lagoon or embayment, often circular and surrounded by sand or seagrass. Patch reefs are common. Apron reef a short reef resembling a fringing reef, but more sloped; extending out and downward from a point or peninsular shore Bank reef a linear or semicircular shaped-outline, larger than a patch reef

Ribbon reef a long, narrow, possibly winding reef, usually associated with an atoll lagoon

 Table reef an isolated reef, approaching an atoll type, but without a lagoon Habili - this is a reef in the Red Sea that does not reach the surface near enough to cause visible surf, although it may be a hazard to ships (from the Arabic for "unborn"). Microatoll certain species of corals form communities called microatolls. The vertical growth of microatolls is limited by average tidal height. By analysing growth morphologies, microatolls offer a low-resolution record of patterns of sea level change. Fossilized microatolls can also be dated using radioactive carbon dating. Such methods have been used to reconstruct Holocene sea levels. Cays are small, low-elevation, sandy islands formed on the surface of coral reefs. Material eroded from the reef piles up on parts of the reef or lagoon, forming an area above sea level.

Corals of andaman

Andaman has a fringing (grows close to shore) type of coral reefs .

Importance of coral reefs

Habitat for 1/3 of marine fishes Habitat for tens of thousands of other animals

The rainforests of the oceans

Importance of corals towards :

Protection of coastal line.
Economic resources Biodiversity

 PROTECTION TO COASTLINES
absorb energy of ocean waves reduce erosion of shoreline storm damage Flooding

ECONOMIC RESOURCES Fisheries for food Fisheries for jobs Tourism Building materials Aquarium trade

Biodiversity
The rainforest of the sea .
Genetic diversity . Pharmaceutical.

Threats to coral reefs

Natural disturbance: hurricanes , tsunami etc.
Predators like parrotfish ,butterfly fish , snail etc Bleaching of corals due to loss of
zooxanthellae, high exposure to UV rays , etc.

PHOTOS ON THREAT TO CORALS.

Blast Fishing & Fish poisoning

Overfishing

Aquarium & Curio trade

Global warming - bleaching Coastal overdevelopment Marine pollution

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Thank You