reefs, lagoons, estuaries, beaches, etc., and 13 having major
parts in marine ecosystem and some part in terrestrial ecosystem (Singh, 2002). The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972
provides protection for these areas and certain marine species. Corals are protected under this act. India’s Coastal
Regulation Zone Notification (1991) regulates onshore
development activities, which affect coastal environments.
Coral reef conservation is also included in the Environmental Protection Act (1986), the National Conservation Strategy and Policy Statement on Environmental Development
(1992) and the Action Plan of the Ministry of Environment
and Forests.
Conclusion
Coral reefs in India have drawn great attention from the
eighteenth century onwards. This was achieved from many
surveys and expeditions conducted by foreigners, in particular by the British. The introduction of Surgeon Naturalists
in the expedition ships helped marine research to flourish in
varied fields of fauna and flora. However, in India, major
studies have been conducted only on the commercially
important organisms such as crustaceans, molluscs, holothurians, and higher vertebrates. Many minor phyla which
are not commercially important have not been studied
so far. For example, species of different minor phyla that
live as the interstitial fauna of coral reef areas have not
been studied till date, due to a lack of expertise in this
field. Though taxonomy is being taught as a subject in the
curricula of schools and colleges, there is no committed
institution for the learning of taxonomy except survey
departments under the placard of the Government of India.
Probably, more than 75% of the biodiversity of coral reefs
of the Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep is not yet
studied. This is mainly attributed not only to the decline in
the number of taxonomists but also due to the lack of facilities. Geological and geomorphological studies are probably even less advanced which is unfortunate given the
wide geographical distribution of coral reefs in India.
Bibliography
Ahmed, E., 1972. Coastal geomorphology of India. New Delhi:
Orient Longman, p. 222.
Anon, 1990. Coastal area classification and development regulations. Gazette Notification, Part 11, Section 3 (ii), Govt. of India,
No S. C. 595 (FE Desk -1/97), pp. 1–7.
Baskar, S., 1984. The distribution and status of sea turtles in India.
In Proceedings of Workshop on Sea turtle conservation, Madras,
Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute Special Publication,
Vol. 18, pp. 21–35.
Bruckner, H., 1988. Indicators for formerly higher sea levels along
the east coast of India and on the Andaman Islands. Hamburger
Geographische studien, Heft, 44, 47–72.
Curray, J. R., Emmel, F. J., Moore, D. G., and Raitt, R. W., 1982.
Structure, tectonics and geological history of the NE Indian
Ocean. In Nairn, A. E. M., and Sehli, F. G. (eds.), The Ocean
Basins and Margins, The Indian Ocean, New York: Plenum,
Vol.6, pp. 399–450.
Dasgupta, S., 1993. Seismotectonics and stress distribution in the
Andaman Plate. Memoirs of Geological Society of India, 23,
319–334.
Dasgupta, S., and Mukhopadhyaya, M., 1993. Seismicity and plate
deformation below the Andaman Arc, northeastern Indian
Ocean. Tectonophysics, 225, 529–542.
D. O. D., and S. A. C., 1997. Coral reef maps of India. Ahmedabad,
India: Department of Ocean Development and Space Application Centre.
James, D. B., 1987. Research on Indian echinoderms a review. Journal of marine biological Association India, 25, 91–109.
Kannan, L., Thangaradjou, T., and Anantharaman, P., 1999. Status
of seagrass of India. Seaweed Research Utilization, 21(1&2),
25–33.
Loveson, V. J., 1993. Geological and geomorphological investigation related to sea-level variation and heavy mineral accumulation along the southern Tamilnadu beaches, India. Ph.D. thesis,
Madurai Kamaraj University, pp. 223.
Muley, E. V., Venkataraman, K., Alfred, J. R. B., and Wafar, M.,
2000. Status of coral reefs of India. In Proceedings of 9th International Coral Reef Symposium, Bali, Indonesia, 23–27 October, 2000, Vol. 2, pp. 847–854.
Nair, R. R., and Qasim, S. Z., 1978. Occurrence of banks with living
corals off the southwest coast of India. Indian Journal of Marine
Science, 7, 55–58.
Nair, R. R., and Hashimi, N. H., 1980. Holocene climatic inferences from the sediments of the western Indian continental
shelf. Proceedings of Indian Academy of Sciences, B 89,
229–315.
Oldham, R. D., 1884. Note on the earthquake of 31 December 1881.
Records of Geological Survey of India, 17(2), 47–53.
Ortiz, M., and Bilham, R., 2003. Source area and rupture parameters
of the 31 December, 1881Mw = 7.9 Car Nicobar earthquake
estimated from tsunamis recorded in the Bay of Bengal. Journal
of Geophysical Research, 108(B4), 2215. doi:10.1029/
2002JB001941, 2003.
Oza, R. M. and Zaidi, S. H. B., 2000. A revised checklist of Indian
marine algae. India: Central Salt and Marine Chemicals
Research Institute, p. 296.
Pattanayak, J. G., and Buddhadeb, M., 2001. Distribution of Marine
Sponges (Porifera) in India. In Proceedings of Zoological Society, Calcutta, 54(1), 73–101.
Pillai, C. S. G., 1983. Structure and generic diversity of recent
Scleractinia of India. Journal of Marine Biological Association
of India, 25(1&2), 78–90.
Pillai, C. S. G., 1986. Recent corals from the southeast coast of
India. In Recent Advances in marine Biology, New Delhi: Today
and Tommorow Publishers, pp. 107–201.
Pillai, C. S. G., 1996. Coral reefs of India, their conservation and
management, In Menon, N. G., and Pillai, C. S. G. (eds.), Marine
Biodiversity, Conservation and Management, Cochin: Central
Marine Fisheries Research Institute, pp. 16–31.
Qasim, S. Z., and Wafar, M. V. M., 1979. Occurrence of living
corals at several places along the west coast of India. Mahasagar,
12, 53–58.
Rajasurya, A., Zahir, H., Muley, E. V., Subramanian, B. R.,
Venkataraman, K., Wafar, M. V. M., Khan, S. M. M. H., and
Whittingham, E., 2002. Status of coral reefs in South Asia: Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Sri Lanka. In Proceedings 9th International Coral Ref Symposium, Bali, Indonesia 23–27 October
2000, Vol. 2, pp. 841–846.
Rajendran, K., and Gupta, H. K., 1989. Seismicity and tectonic
stress-field of a part of the Burma-Andaman-Nicobar Arc. Bulletin of Seismology Society of America, 79, 989–1005.
Ramalingam, J. R., 2000. Production of export quality of agar.
Goldern Jubilee Celebrations Souvenir 2000, Mandapam R. C.
of CMFRI, Mandapam Camp., pp. 81–83.
Rao, V. P., and Wagle, B. G., 1997 Geomorphology and surficial
geology of the western continental shelf and upper slope of
India: A review. Current Science, 73, 330–350.
274
CORAL REEFS OF INDIA
parts in marine ecosystem and some part in terrestrial ecosystem (Singh, 2002). The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972
provides protection for these areas and certain marine species. Corals are protected under this act. India’s Coastal
Regulation Zone Notification (1991) regulates onshore
development activities, which affect coastal environments.
Coral reef conservation is also included in the Environmental Protection Act (1986), the National Conservation Strategy and Policy Statement on Environmental Development
(1992) and the Action Plan of the Ministry of Environment
and Forests.
Conclusion
Coral reefs in India have drawn great attention from the
eighteenth century onwards. This was achieved from many
surveys and expeditions conducted by foreigners, in particular by the British. The introduction of Surgeon Naturalists
in the expedition ships helped marine research to flourish in
varied fields of fauna and flora. However, in India, major
studies have been conducted only on the commercially
important organisms such as crustaceans, molluscs, holothurians, and higher vertebrates. Many minor phyla which
are not commercially important have not been studied
so far. For example, species of different minor phyla that
live as the interstitial fauna of coral reef areas have not
been studied till date, due to a lack of expertise in this
field. Though taxonomy is being taught as a subject in the
curricula of schools and colleges, there is no committed
institution for the learning of taxonomy except survey
departments under the placard of the Government of India.
Probably, more than 75% of the biodiversity of coral reefs
of the Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep is not yet
studied. This is mainly attributed not only to the decline in
the number of taxonomists but also due to the lack of facilities. Geological and geomorphological studies are probably even less advanced which is unfortunate given the
wide geographical distribution of coral reefs in India.
Bibliography
Ahmed, E., 1972. Coastal geomorphology of India. New Delhi:
Orient Longman, p. 222.
Anon, 1990. Coastal area classification and development regulations. Gazette Notification, Part 11, Section 3 (ii), Govt. of India,
No S. C. 595 (FE Desk -1/97), pp. 1–7.
Baskar, S., 1984. The distribution and status of sea turtles in India.
In Proceedings of Workshop on Sea turtle conservation, Madras,
Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute Special Publication,
Vol. 18, pp. 21–35.
Bruckner, H., 1988. Indicators for formerly higher sea levels along
the east coast of India and on the Andaman Islands. Hamburger
Geographische studien, Heft, 44, 47–72.
Curray, J. R., Emmel, F. J., Moore, D. G., and Raitt, R. W., 1982.
Structure, tectonics and geological history of the NE Indian
Ocean. In Nairn, A. E. M., and Sehli, F. G. (eds.), The Ocean
Basins and Margins, The Indian Ocean, New York: Plenum,
Vol.6, pp. 399–450.
Dasgupta, S., 1993. Seismotectonics and stress distribution in the
Andaman Plate. Memoirs of Geological Society of India, 23,
319–334.
Dasgupta, S., and Mukhopadhyaya, M., 1993. Seismicity and plate
deformation below the Andaman Arc, northeastern Indian
Ocean. Tectonophysics, 225, 529–542.
D. O. D., and S. A. C., 1997. Coral reef maps of India. Ahmedabad,
India: Department of Ocean Development and Space Application Centre.
James, D. B., 1987. Research on Indian echinoderms a review. Journal of marine biological Association India, 25, 91–109.
Kannan, L., Thangaradjou, T., and Anantharaman, P., 1999. Status
of seagrass of India. Seaweed Research Utilization, 21(1&2),
25–33.
Loveson, V. J., 1993. Geological and geomorphological investigation related to sea-level variation and heavy mineral accumulation along the southern Tamilnadu beaches, India. Ph.D. thesis,
Madurai Kamaraj University, pp. 223.
Muley, E. V., Venkataraman, K., Alfred, J. R. B., and Wafar, M.,
2000. Status of coral reefs of India. In Proceedings of 9th International Coral Reef Symposium, Bali, Indonesia, 23–27 October, 2000, Vol. 2, pp. 847–854.
Nair, R. R., and Qasim, S. Z., 1978. Occurrence of banks with living
corals off the southwest coast of India. Indian Journal of Marine
Science, 7, 55–58.
Nair, R. R., and Hashimi, N. H., 1980. Holocene climatic inferences from the sediments of the western Indian continental
shelf. Proceedings of Indian Academy of Sciences, B 89,
229–315.
Oldham, R. D., 1884. Note on the earthquake of 31 December 1881.
Records of Geological Survey of India, 17(2), 47–53.
Ortiz, M., and Bilham, R., 2003. Source area and rupture parameters
of the 31 December, 1881Mw = 7.9 Car Nicobar earthquake
estimated from tsunamis recorded in the Bay of Bengal. Journal
of Geophysical Research, 108(B4), 2215. doi:10.1029/
2002JB001941, 2003.
Oza, R. M. and Zaidi, S. H. B., 2000. A revised checklist of Indian
marine algae. India: Central Salt and Marine Chemicals
Research Institute, p. 296.
Pattanayak, J. G., and Buddhadeb, M., 2001. Distribution of Marine
Sponges (Porifera) in India. In Proceedings of Zoological Society, Calcutta, 54(1), 73–101.
Pillai, C. S. G., 1983. Structure and generic diversity of recent
Scleractinia of India. Journal of Marine Biological Association
of India, 25(1&2), 78–90.
Pillai, C. S. G., 1986. Recent corals from the southeast coast of
India. In Recent Advances in marine Biology, New Delhi: Today
and Tommorow Publishers, pp. 107–201.
Pillai, C. S. G., 1996. Coral reefs of India, their conservation and
management, In Menon, N. G., and Pillai, C. S. G. (eds.), Marine
Biodiversity, Conservation and Management, Cochin: Central
Marine Fisheries Research Institute, pp. 16–31.
Qasim, S. Z., and Wafar, M. V. M., 1979. Occurrence of living
corals at several places along the west coast of India. Mahasagar,
12, 53–58.
Rajasurya, A., Zahir, H., Muley, E. V., Subramanian, B. R.,
Venkataraman, K., Wafar, M. V. M., Khan, S. M. M. H., and
Whittingham, E., 2002. Status of coral reefs in South Asia: Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Sri Lanka. In Proceedings 9th International Coral Ref Symposium, Bali, Indonesia 23–27 October
2000, Vol. 2, pp. 841–846.
Rajendran, K., and Gupta, H. K., 1989. Seismicity and tectonic
stress-field of a part of the Burma-Andaman-Nicobar Arc. Bulletin of Seismology Society of America, 79, 989–1005.
Ramalingam, J. R., 2000. Production of export quality of agar.
Goldern Jubilee Celebrations Souvenir 2000, Mandapam R. C.
of CMFRI, Mandapam Camp., pp. 81–83.
Rao, V. P., and Wagle, B. G., 1997 Geomorphology and surficial
geology of the western continental shelf and upper slope of
India: A review. Current Science, 73, 330–350.
274
CORAL REEFS OF INDIA