The Coral Reef Ecosystem and Biodiversity in India

INTRODUCTION :

The corals exhibit extensive biodiversity in structure and forms. Coral islands as well as coral reefs are secretory products of the skeleton forming Cnidarians. The term 'Corallum' is the total coral bush and the 'Corallite' is the calcareous cup within which the coral polyps, the living elements remain embedded. These polyps secrete mucous to entrap plankton and other food materials, which are engulfed. The mesentrial filaments in the coelenterons digest the food particles and the absorption takes place through simple diffusion. The photosynthetic products of algae are directly supplied to the hosts and the algae inturn receive nutrients and carbon dioxide from the coral polyps. All reef building corals contain symbiotic zooxanthellae in the calcioblastic endoderm. Most probably the zooxanthellae support the growth and secretory activity of the coral polyps.

DISTRIBUTION OF CORAL REEFS IN INDIA :

Coral reefs are distributed in the world in some restricted places only. These are not found everywhere in the World, even these are not found anywhere and everywhere in the India. The coral reefs of the Indian Ocean have been built up during the tertiary and quaternary periods. The coral reef ecosystems are restricted in the main seven regions in India, such as :

1. Coral reef ecosystem in Kerala coast.

2. Coral reef ecosystem in Goa coast.

3. Coral reef ecosystem in Gulf of Kachchh.

4. Coral reef ecosystem in Lakshadweep Islands.

5. Coral reef ecosystem in Gulf of Manner.

6. Coral reef ecosystem in Palk Bay.

7. Coral reef ecosystem in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Among the coral reefs of India, fringing reefs are found in the Gulf of Manner and Palk bay, Platform reefs are found along the Gulf of Kuchchh, Atoll reefs are found in the Lakshadweep archipelago, Patchy reefs are found near Ratnagiri and Malwan coasts, Fringing and barrier reefs both are found in Andaman and Nicobar islands.