Status of Coral Reefs of the World 2000

Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2000
of waste disposal facilities at major ports, monitoring on the high seas for pollution
discharges, and through coordinated efforts to improve shipping navigation aids. Solid
waste cleanup projects need to be organised to remove accumulated debris from the
reefs, and public education campaigns would help increase understanding of the
importance of coral reefs and their sensitivity to damage and pollution. There is also a need
to develop and expand local capacity for monitoring and research on coral reefs, in
connection with the designation of Marine Protected Areas as part of broader multisectoral
integrated management plans. The major organisation assisting countries with coral
reef conservation is the Regional Organisation for the Protection of the Marine Environment
(ROPME), which refers to this region as the ‘inner ROPME Sea Area’, shortened to RSA.
INTRODUCTION
The Arabian/Persian Gulf (the Gulf) and Sea contain complex and unique tropical marine
ecosystems, especially coral reefs, with relatively low biological diversity and many
endemic species. The reefs are surrounded by some of the driest coastlines in the world,
such that continental influences are limited. In addition these waters are also major
shipping lanes due to petroleum industries, with a high-risk bottleneck at the narrow straits
of Hormuz. While large parts of the region are still in a pristine state, environmental threats
(notably from habitat destruction, over-exploitation and pollution) are increasing rapidly,
requiring immediate action to protect the region’s coastal and marine environment.
The Arabian Sea is subject to seasonal cold water upwellings due to the Indian Ocean
monsoon system, which creates large temperature differences between seasons. This is
reflected in the nature and distribution of coral communities. The Gulf is a semi-enclosed
shallow continental sea measuring 1000km in length and varying in width from a
maximum of 340 to 60km (at the Straits of Hormuz). These narrow straits restrict water
exchange with the Arabian Sea, which means the waters become highly saline because
of high evaporation and low inputs of fresh water. The Gulf is also subject to wide
climatic fluctuations, with water temperatures ranging from 10 to 40 o C and salinity from
28-60ppt. The coupling of seawater temperatures and salinity show some of the widest
fluctuations recorded anywhere in the world, which would kill most reef-building corals
elsewhere. Thus, corals growing in the Gulf have become adapted to survive the
especially harsh conditions. This was thought to be the norm with temperature extremes
until the major bleaching events in 1996 and 1998, which virtually obliterated all inshore
reefs and badly depleted many of those offshore. The overall reef biodiversity of reefs in
the Gulf is relatively impoverished compared to the Indian Ocean, with the exception of
fish species. Further north there are fringing hard corals along the Iranian side of the Gulf
and around the most of the islands, from Saudi Arabia across to Iran. The average depth
is about 35m and maximum is 100m. The southern Gulf is characterised by shallow pre-
Cretaceous limestone, sandstone or ‘fasht’ which is frequently insufficient to result in
significant reef accretion.
56