Indian Journal of Geo-Marine Sciences Vol. 40 (5), October 2011, pp 653-656

New recruitment of diverse scleractinian in little Andaman Island after tsunami

Tamal Mondal 1, C. Raghunathan & Ramakrishna 2 Zoological Survey of India, Andaman & Nicobar Regional Centre, National Reef Research Institute, Haddo, Port Blair-744 102, India 2 Zoological Survey of India, Prani Vigyan Bhavan, M- Block, New Alipore, Kolkata-700 053, India 1[E-mail: [email protected]]

Received21 April 2010; revised 7 January 2011

Coral reefs of the east coast of Andaman & Nicobar Islands were affected by the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 26, 2004. Eight sites in Little Andaman Island were studied to observe the present status of coral reefs around the eastern and southern regions of Little Andaman. Damages caused by the tsunami are overturned massive corals, broken branching corals and smothering of corals by sediments and coral rubble with these effects being greatest in shallow waters. Overall damage was extremely localized affecting only large sectors of reef which were exposed to the full force of the tsunami waves. It is estimated that damaged sites have been recovering naturally in a time span since 2005 to till date.

[Keywords: Indian Ocean tsunami, Damage, Little Andaman, Coral Reef.]

Introduction essentially between the tropics of Cancer and The effects of hurricanes and cyclones are well Capricorn, where minimum water temperature do not documented in the literature (Hughes, 1993) 1 but there fall below 20°C. In general, massive corals tend to is little or no reference to the effects of tsunamis on grow slowly, increasing in size from 0.5 cm to 2 cm coral reef ecosystems despite the fact that tsunamis per year. However, under favourable conditions (high have been generated in the coral seas around Sumatra light exposure, consistent temperature, moderate wave and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the action), some species can grow as much as 4.5 cm per past (Bilham et al ., 2005)2. At approximately 09.55h year. In contrast to massive species, branching on 26 December, 2004, during a high water spring colonies tend to grow much faster. With suitable tide, a series of tsunami waves struck the west coast conditions, these colonies can grow vertically by as of Thailand following a major earthquake registering much as 10 cm per year (Turner et al ., 2009) 5. 9.3 on the Richter scale off northwest Sumatra Branches of coral reefs are prone to snapping during (Stein & Okal, 2005) 3. The Andaman & Nicobar wave action and massive shaped corals become more Islands are a low mountain chain of islands, which stable as they grow larger (Burnes & Hughes, 1999) 6. rise from a submerged north-south trending ridge Corals reproduce both sexually and asexually. Asexual separating the sea from Bay of Bengal between 6°-14° N reproduction in corals includes several processes by and 92°-94° E. There are approximately 572 islands in which one colony forms additional colonies through the chain, some of which are volcanic. The islands the separation of tissue covered fragments or through occupy an area of 8293 km 2 with a coastline of 1962 km the shedding of tissue alone (Birkeland, 1996) 7. and account for 30% of the Indian Exclusive Zone Successful reproduction is only the first step in the (Jeyabaskaran, 1999) 4. All the countries in the region replenishment of corals on the reef. Recruitment affected by the devastating tsunami have coral reefs. depends on the ability of larvae to identify an These fragile natural resources have been of great appropriate site for settlement and metamorphosis. importance to their economies, providing livelihoods These two distinct and critical processes are often to many coastal villages, through fisheries, tourism, as dependent on specific chemical signals for marine well as coastal protection. Coral reefs are ecologically invertebrates (Pawlik & Hadfield, 1990) 8. On the important fragile ecosystem restricted to warm seas, basis of observation and data collected from the 654 INDIAN J. MAR. SCI., VOL. 40, NO. 5, OCTOBER 2011

survey, this paper evaluates the impact of the 2004 Discussion tsunami and post tsunami changes in the scleractinian Tsunami caused serious negative impacts on coral corals of Little Andaman Island. reefs. Though reefs in deeper water or at distance from the coastline may escape themselves in Materials and Methods unharmed condition, because the tsunami passed Present study was conducted during October, across as a pressure wave with only slight changes 2009 at eight sites in the eastern and southern coast in water depth—perhaps a meter or so—near-shore of Little Andaman Island. They are Dugong reefs stand to take a considerable pounding. Degree Creek (Lat.-10º48.385’ N & Long.-092º64.000’ E), and nature of the impact varied depending on Ram Krishna Pur Beach (Lat.-10º42.630’ N & the shore topography and the hydrodynamics of Long.-092º36.929’ E), Butler Bay (Lat.-10º40.232’ N & the wave action. Destruction was caused due to Long.-092 º34.542’ E), Kala Pathar (Lat.-10º39.558’ N returning water carrying mud, sediments, and & Long.-092º34.109’ E), Hut Bay (Lat.-10º35.419’ N debris back into the reefs. This will cause physical & Long.-092º33.066’ E), Harminder Bay (Lat.- damage to the reef structure through breakage 10º32.975’ N & Long.-092º32.651’ E), Adjoining and smothering. Debris, lying over a reef, slide to area of Harminder Bay (Lat.-10º32.357’ N & Long.- and fro with the constant movement of the water 092º32.543’ E) and Light House (Lat.-10º30.734’ N continually destroyed the lives of Coral and & Long.-092º30.264’ E). The study was made by underlying organisms. Mud and silt, settling on the employing Self–Contained Underwater Breathing corals surface smothered the structure. The coral Apparatus (SCUBA) diving and snorkeling from polyps failed to continue their necessary functions dawn to dusk. Line intercept transect (Bradbury and such as feeding due to block by silts. This was Reichelt et.al. 1986)9 and Quadrate methods (Endean expensive in terms of energy requirements and & Stablum, 1973) 10 was applied to investigate the puts added stress on already damaged corals. This diversity and distribution of the corals. Species damage made them in dead form due course of recording was performed by SCUBA diving, time. Settlement of coral larvae is a change from snorkeling and underwater digital photography planktonic existence to a benthic life style, and (Sony - Cyber shot, Model-T900, marine pack, usually includes attachment to the reef. In order to 12 megapixels) for detail identification. settle larvae to survive and develop into young corals, they must settle on an appropriate site depending on Results physical as well as chemical parameters. Species Eight sites were the face book of coral reefs, specific chemical signals from particular types damaged previously due to effect of tsunami. of crustose corraline algae (Morse & Morse, 1993) 15 The main damage on reefs affected by the tsunami is an important state for marine organisms. If the included overturned massive corals, broken branching substratum has the proper structure with biochemical corals and covering of live coral surfaces by litter, coating, the planula forms an attachment with the muddy sediments. During intertidal exposure, it is aboral surface, begins to contract, and lays down on very familiar to see long areas with dead patches of organic matrix layer, followed by deposition of the reefs. These dead patches included all the types of stony carbonate skeleton (Vandermuelen, 1974) 16 . corals such as branching, massive, plate corals etc. Presence of thirty four species of scleractinian Presence of sediments is very common to observe coral from different sites of Little Andaman Island is inside the corallites structure. In some cases partial the indication of optimum ecological status of mortality of living coral surfaces resulted from the place. This ecological status has been helping smothering and abrasion by these dead coral branches. the coral reef population for their recruitment as New recruitments of corals were observed on the well as for their survival. Regional diversity is the selected places of study. The size of the individual product of between-habitat as well as within-habitat colony is ranges from 1.7 cm to 6.1 cm in most of the species richness (Whittaker, 1972) 17 . Continuous cases in structural conformation. The identification of monitoring programmes are required to get the newly recruited scleractinian corals (Table 1) of Little adequate information about the present diversified Andaman is identified depending on their taxonomical status of coral reef of Little Andaman Island to protect features (Veron, 1986, 1995, 2000, 2002b) 11,12,13,14 . marine biodiversity. MONDAL et al .: DIVERSE SCLERACTINIAN CORALS IN LITTLE ANDAMAN ISLAND AFTER TSUNAMI 655

Table 1—New Recruited Scleractinian Corals of Little Andaman Island Name of the Study Areas of Little Andaman Island Scientific Name Dugong R.K. Butler Kalapathar Hut Harminder A. Harminder Light Creek Beach Bay Bay Bay Bay House Family- - - - + - + + - 1. abrotanoides (Lamarck, 1816) 2. Acropora cythera (Dana, 1846) - - + - - + + - 3. Acropora hyacinthus (Dana, 1846) - - - - - + - - 4. Acropora robusta (Dana, 1846) + + + - + + + 5. Acropra formosa (Dana, 1846) - - + + + + - - 6. Acropora nobilis (Dana, 1846) - - - + - - + - 7. Acropora rudis (Rehberg, 1892) - - - - + + + - 8. Acropora gemmifera (Brook, 1892) + - + - - - + + 9. Acropora monticulosa - - + + - + - - (Bruggemann, 1879) 10. Acropora forskali (Ehrenberg, 1834) ------+ - 11. Acropora millepora (Ehrenberg, 1834) ------+ - 12. Montipora aequituberculata (Bernard, - - + - + + + - 1897) Family- Pocilloporidae 13. Pocillopora damicornis (Linnaeus, + + + + - + + + 1758) 14. Pocillopora varrucosa (Ellis & - - - - - + - - Solander, 1846) 15. Stylophora pistillata (Esper, 1787) - - - - - + - - Family- Oculinidae 16. Galaxea astreata (Lamarck, 1816) - - - - - + - - 17. Galaxea fascicularis (Linnaeus, 1767) - - + - - + - - Family- Fungiidae 18. Fungia scabra (Doderlein, 1901) - - + - - - + - 19. Lithophyllon undulatum (Rehberg, - + + - - - + - 1892) Family- Merulinidae 20. Hydnophora grandis (Gardiner, 1904) - - + + - + - - Family- Mussidae 21. Symphyllia recta (Dana, 1846) - - + + - - + - 22. Symphyllia radians (Milne Edwards ------+ & Haime, 1849) Family- Faviidae 23. Echinophora lamellose (Esper, 1795) - - + - - + + - 24. Favites halicora (Ehrenberg, 1834) - - + + + + + - 25. Favites pentagona (Esper,1794) - - + + - + + + 26. Favites complanata (Ehrenberg, 1834) - + + + - + + - 27. Favia matthaii (Vaughan, 1918) - + + - + + + - 28. Goniastea retiformis (Lamarck, 1816) - + + - - + + + Family- Agariciidae 29. Pavona duerdeni (Vaugha, 1907) - - - + - - + - 30. Pachyseris gemmae (Nemenzo, 1955) ------+ - Family- Poritidae 31. Porites solida (Forskal, 1775) - - + + - - + - 32. Porites annae (Crossland, 1952) ------+ - 33. Porites rus (Forskal, 1775) - - - - - + + - 34. Porites vaughanni (Crossland, 1952) - - - - - + + - 656 INDIAN J. MAR. SCI., VOL. 40, NO. 5, OCTOBER 2011

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