24-Year Study Finds Lakshadweep Coral Cover Halved

swift Summary

• Researchers from the Nature Conservation Foundation have tracked coral reef conditions in Lakshadweep (agatti, Kadmat, and Kavaratti) since 1998 to understand response patterns to climate change.
• A 24-year study reveals that coral cover has declined by approximately 50%, from 37.24% in 1998 to 19.6% today,due to repeated marine heatwaves caused by climate change.
• The study identifies local factors-wave exposure and depth-as critical in determining reef resilience and recovery after bleaching events caused by El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) incidents (1998, 2010, and 2016).
• Recovery rates significantly improve only with a gap of six years between heatwaves; or else,declines persist despite reduced coral mortality during successive events.
• Findings clustered corals into six distinct groups based on survival traits like depth location or wave exposure-providing predictive tools to classify reefs’ vulnerability or recovery potential across the region.
• Researchers warn that urgent global climate action is essential; short intervals between heatwaves hinder reefs’ ability to recover despite local restoration efforts.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The findings from this long-term monitoring programme underscore the fragility of India’s marine ecosystems against escalating global climate pressures such as marine heatwaves. The steep decline in coral cover not only threatens biodiversity but also risks destabilizing livelihoods dependent on fisheries and tourism tied closely to healthy reefs. The nuanced insights into localized environmental factors like wave exposure offer actionable pathways for identifying vulnerable areas-but underpinning this is a stark reminder that without sustained international effort toward mitigating carbon emissions driving global warming, local conservation measures may remain insufficient.

This research provides an invaluable framework for spatial planning across India’s coastal ecosystems while highlighting the need for harmonized policies balancing economic development with ecological preservation-in tandem with broader international commitments under frameworks like the Paris climate agreement.

Read more: Link