DOCSLIB.ORG

Mapping in Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Mapping in Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia In partnership with: HARD CORALS MAPPING IN SEMPORNA, SABAH, MALAYSIA. CLP ID : 03236315 (June 2015 – June 2016) A PROJECT AIMS FOR CORAL REEF PROTECTION THROUGH MARINE SPATIAL PLANNING The CLP Team in Semporna reaches out to local divers to identify areas with high abundance of endangered hard corals for protection and then advocate for dive operators to be assessed and certified by Green Fins to ensure sustainable practices of tourism in Semporna. The team also spread the message by training a group of local youths to educate and raise awareness in schools to promote love for coral reefs and action against fish bombing activities. AUTHORS: Choo Poh Leem, Liew Hui Ling, Habibah Mohd Yusah, Rojaniah Jawalani, Sumira Muis, and Mohd Adzmin Abdul Fatta ADDRESS: WWF-Malaysia , Semporna Field Office Lot A2 1st Floor Bandar Utama Jalan Bubul, 91308 Semporna. EMAIL : [email protected] FACEBOOK PAGE : Hard Corals Mapping in Semporna, Malaysia DATE OF REPORT COMPLETION: 30JANUARY 2017 1 Table of Contents PROJECT PARTNERS & COLLABORATORS........................................................................................................................ 3 SECTION 1 ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Summary .................................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................................................. 5 Project members ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 SECTION 2 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Aim and objectives .............................................................................................................................................................. 10 Changes to original project plan .................................................................................................................................... 10 Methodology .......................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Objective 1: Best Practices for Sustainable Tourism in Semporna implemented ................................. 10 Objective 2: Awareness Increased and Local Community are Educated Regarding Importance of Coral Reefs ......................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Objective 3: Mushroom Coral Mapping conducted ........................................................................................... 11 Objective 4: Area (for mushroom corals) with high abundance and availability consider for sensitivity protection .................................................................................................................................................... 12 Outputs and Results ............................................................................................................................................................ 12 Objective 1: Best Practices for Sustainable Tourism in Semporna implemented ................................. 12 Objective 2: Awareness Increased and Local Community are Educated Regarding Importance of Coral Reefs ......................................................................................................................................................................... 13 Objective 3: Mushroom Coral Mapping Conducted ........................................................................................... 13 Objective 4: Area (for mushroom corals) with high abundance and availability consider for sensitivity protection .................................................................................................................................................... 13 Communication & Application of results ................................................................................................................... 13 Monitoring and Evaluation .............................................................................................................................................. 14 Achievements and Impacts .............................................................................................................................................. 14 (1) Five Additional Dive Operators Backing Green Practices and Coral Protection in Semporna .. 14 (2) Future Leaders Empowered to Protect Coral Reefs in Semporna ........................................................ 14 (3) Identified Areas for Protection in Semporna Marine Spatial Planning .............................................. 14 Capacity Development and Leadership capabilities .............................................................................................. 14 SECTION 3 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 16 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................................................................. 16 Problems encountered and lessons learnt ................................................................................................................ 16 In the future ........................................................................................................................................................................... 17 SECTION 4: Appendices ......................................................................................................................................................... 18 Address links and web links ....................................................................................................................................... 34 Distribution List .............................................................................................................................................................. 34 2 PROJECT PARTNERS & COLLABORATORS Table 1: Project partners and collaborators of Hard Coral Mapping Project Partners & Supporting Involvement Collaborators Objective(s) Objective 1 & Sabah Parks is one of the research collaborators for 3 underwater survey. They provided a waived research permit (within Tun Sakaran Marine Park site) and research assistances during the survey dive (Mr Rizan). Sabah Parks Also, Sabah Parks helped in co-organizing the Green Fin Introductory Workshop in Semporna by inviting all dive operators. Objective 4 Result Dissemination in the MSP committee meeting Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) is one of the national coordinator and assessor for Green Fin Certification in Malaysia. A staff from RCM which is an assessor for Green Fin had come to Semporna and presented on the Reef Check Malaysia & Green certification during the introductory workshop. Due to Objective 1 Fins (Malaysia) good respond from dive operators, RCM had organized another training to train more Green Fin Assessor to help in the assessment for Semporna region. They eventually managed to assess and certify several dive operators for this project. Scuba Junkie is one of the top environment-pro dive Objective 1 & operators. They are actively involved in this project by 3 providing the team with logistic and manpower support in the 2nd phase of underwater survey. During the Marine Week Celebration, they provided a session for us to Scuba Junkie introduce the Hard Corals Mapping Project in their resort (Mabul). Scuba Junkie also received their 2nd reassessment for Green Fin after the workshop under this project. Objective 4 Scuba Junkie invited us to give a presentation to do result Dissemination in the Mabul Marine Week Provide discounted price for diving trip logistic and assistance. Attended the Green Fin Introductory Semporna Blue Reef | Objective 1 & Workshop and managed to be certified as Green Fins Seahorse Sipadan Scuba 3 member in the year 2016. Mr Ali (Blue Reef), Mr Arif and Mr Jojo (Seahorse) are the local dive masters who had assisted us during underwater survey. Borneo Global Sipadan Backpackers | Borneo Jungle River Island Tours | Objective 1 & Attend Green Fins Introductory Workshop. Singamata Adventures and 3 Two local dive masters from Borneo Global Sipadan Reefs Resort Sdn Bhd | Backpackers also assisted with the underwater survey. Borneo Speedy Dive Promoted Hard Corals Mapping Project in environmental Green Semporna Objective 2 programmes and exhibitions. 3 Conducted Anti Fish Bombing Roadshow in selected primary schools - SK Simunul, SK Balimbang, SK Berpusat Bum-Bum, and Pusat Pembangunan Minda Insan Kampung Hidayat. Volunteer diver for the 2nd phase of underwater survey in Ms Serena Adam Chua Objective 2 Tun Sakaran Marine Park site. Dr James Tan - Universiti Objective 3 Trainer for Coral Identification Training for the Hard Malaysia Terengganu Corals Mapping team members.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • 7 Day Gbr Itinerary
    7 DAY & 7 NIGHT GREAT BARRIER REEF ITINERARY PORT DOUGLAS | GREAT BARRIER REEF | COOKTOWN | LIZARD ISLAND PORT DOUGLAS Port Douglas is a town on the Coral Sea in the tropical far north of Queensland, Australia. Located a scenic 50 minute drive north of Cairns International airport, It's known for its luxury beach resorts and as a base for visits to both the Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest reef system, and Daintree National Park, home to biodiverse rainforest. In town, Macrossan Street is lined with boutique shops and restaurants. Curving south is popular Four Mile Beach. THE RIBBON REEFS - GREAT BARRIER REEF - Characteristically no wider than 450m, the Ribbon Reefs are part of the Great Barrier Reef Marina Park and are covered in colorful corals that attract a plethora of reef life big and small, with sandy gullies separating them, themselves containing interesting critters. The Ribbons reef host several of Australia’s most spectacular dive sites, as well as arguably the most prolific Black Marlin fishing in the world at certain times of year -with general fishing topping the list also. LIZARD ISLAND Lizard Island hosts Australia’s northernmost island resort. It is located 150 miles north of Cairns and 57 miles north east off the coast from Cooktown. Lizard Island is an absolute tropical paradise, a haven of isolation, gratification and relaxation. Accessible by boat and small aircraft, this tropical haven is a bucket list destination. Prominent dives spots on the Ribbon Reefs are generally quite shallow, with bommies coming up to as high as 5 metres below the surface from a sandy bottom that is between 15-20 metres below the surface.
    [Show full text]
  • Factors Influencing Residents' Attitude Towards Marine Resource Utilization
    International Journal of Business and Society, Vol. 19 S1, 2018, 37-46 FACTORS INFLUENCING RESIDENTS’ ATTITUDE TOWARDS MARINE RESOURCE UTILIZATION IN TUN SAKARAN MARINE PARK, MALAYSIA Habibah Mohd Yusah Universiti Putra Malaysia Ahmad Shuib. Universiti Putra Malaysia Puvanewaran Kunasekaran Universiti Putra Malaysia Nurul Afifah Nordin Universiti Putra Malaysia ABSTRACT Communities living in the Tun Sakaran Marine Park (TSMP) depend on the marine resources for their livelihood. The marine park is managed by state government, the Sabah Parks, with the main objective of conserving the high marine biodiversity in the area. The communities living in the area use the resources on a daily basis, for family consumption and subsistence. The marine park is also popular for its world class diving sites which has contributed to the growth of the ecotourism industry. The main objective of this study is to determine the socio- demographic characteristics of the resident communities in order to evaluate the factors that determine the attitude of the communities towards the utilization of the marine resources. Data from 116 respondents in three islands in the park were collected using the convenient sampling method. Results of the regression analysis showed that citizenship (non-citizen), education, sense of ownership to the place and responses towards destructive fishing methods had significant influences on the attitudes towards the utilization of the marine resources. Relevant agencies can help to improve the attitudes of the communities by increasing awareness of the communities through informal education and providing extension information to reduce uses of destructive fishing methods. Keywords: Socio-demography; Local Communities; Marine Protected Area; Fishing Tools; Sabah.
    [Show full text]
  • Undercurrent, January 2013
    The Private, Exclusive Guide for Serious Divers January 2013 Vol. 28, No. 1 Sipadan Water Village, Borneo, Malaysia orangutans in the jungle, orangutan crabs underwater IN THIS ISSUE: Sipadan Water Village, Borneo 1 Dear Fellow Diver: Digital Fish ID . 3. There’s nothing like surfacing from a world-class dive and sharing the moment with a bunch of exuberant The Magnificent Name Game 4 Italians. Although I couldn’t decipher their lingo, I could definitely appreciate what they were jabbering about Bandito Charters, Washington 5 at the end of a 50-minute drift dive at Barracuda Point on Sipadan, where we’d seen almost every endemic species Recycling Old Dive Gear . 7. except barracudas. Bonaire, Cozumel, St . Vincent .8 In 80-foot visibility, I had come across four mammoth Death by Exploding Tank . .9 . green turtles lounging at a cleaning station atop a coral head, with others queued up like autos at a car wash. Sea Hunt DVD Marathon . 10. Nearby, I had spotted a giant trevally that appeared to have a distended jaw, until a cleaner wrasse swam out of What Dive Shops Think About one gill slit. At the Aquarium, hundreds of fearless foot- Your Gear . .10 long trevallys swam right up to my mask before gliding away. Later, I was entertained by two trumpetfish mak- “Naive” Fish as Easy Targets 11. ing beautiful music, with a couple of coronetfish sitting Diving After Surgery . 12. in. Ramil, our guide, used a magnifying glass to inspect a tiny chromodoris nudibranch, while six-foot-long white- Dangers of Boats Without tip reef sharks circled below.
    [Show full text]
  • Sabah REDD+ Roadmap Is a Guidance to Press Forward the REDD+ Implementation in the State, in Line with the National Development
    Study on Economics of River Basin Management for Sustainable Development on Biodiversity and Ecosystems Conservation in Sabah (SDBEC) Final Report Contents P The roject for Develop for roject Chapter 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Background of the Study .............................................................................................. 1 1.2 Objectives of the Study ................................................................................................ 1 1.3 Detailed Work Plan ...................................................................................................... 1 ing 1.4 Implementation Schedule ............................................................................................. 3 Inclusive 1.5 Expected Outputs ......................................................................................................... 4 Government for for Government Chapter 2 Rural Development and poverty in Sabah ........................................................... 5 2.1 Poverty in Sabah and Malaysia .................................................................................... 5 2.2 Policy and Institution for Rural Development and Poverty Eradication in Sabah ............................................................................................................................ 7 2.3 Issues in the Rural Development and Poverty Alleviation from Perspective of Bangladesh in Corporation City Biodiversity
    [Show full text]
  • Plate Tectonics and Seismic Activities in Sabah Area
    Plate Tectonics and Seismic Activities in Sabah Area Kuei-hsiang CHENG* Kao Yuan University, 1821 Zhongshan Road, Luzhu District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. *Corresponding author: [email protected]; Tel: 886-7-6077750; Fax: 886-7-6077762 A b s t r a c t Received: 27 November 2015 Ever since the Pliocene which was 1.6 million years ago, the structural Revised: 25 December 2015 geology of Sabah is already formed; it is mainly influenced by the early Accepted: 7 January 2016 South China Sea Plate, which is subducted into the Sunda Plate. However, In press: 8 January 2016 since the Cenozoic, the Sunda Plate is mainly influenced by the western and Online: 1 April 2016 southern of the Sunda-Java Arc and Trench system, and the eastern side of Luzon Arc and Trench system which has an overall impact on the tectonic Keywords: and seismic activity of Sunda plate. Despite the increasing tectonic activities Arc and Trench System, of Sunda-Java Arc and Trench System, and of Luzon Arc and Trench Tectonic earthquake, Seismic System since the Quaternary, which cause many large and frequent zoning, GM（1,1）model, earthquakes. One particular big earthquake is the M9.0 one in Indian Ocean Seismic potential assessment in 2004, leading to more than two hundred and ninety thousand deaths or missing by the tsunami caused by the earthquake. As for Borneo island which is located in residual arc, the impact of tectonic earthquake is trivial; on the other hand, the Celebes Sea which belongs to the back-arc basin is influenced by the collision of small plates, North Sulawesi, which leads to two M≧7 earthquakes (1996 M7.9 and 1999 M7.1) in the 20th century.
    [Show full text]
  • Checklist of Fish and Invertebrates Listed in the CITES Appendices
    JOINTS NATURE \=^ CONSERVATION COMMITTEE Checklist of fish and mvertebrates Usted in the CITES appendices JNCC REPORT (SSN0963-«OStl JOINT NATURE CONSERVATION COMMITTEE Report distribution Report Number: No. 238 Contract Number/JNCC project number: F7 1-12-332 Date received: 9 June 1995 Report tide: Checklist of fish and invertebrates listed in the CITES appendices Contract tide: Revised Checklists of CITES species database Contractor: World Conservation Monitoring Centre 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge, CB3 ODL Comments: A further fish and invertebrate edition in the Checklist series begun by NCC in 1979, revised and brought up to date with current CITES listings Restrictions: Distribution: JNCC report collection 2 copies Nature Conservancy Council for England, HQ, Library 1 copy Scottish Natural Heritage, HQ, Library 1 copy Countryside Council for Wales, HQ, Library 1 copy A T Smail, Copyright Libraries Agent, 100 Euston Road, London, NWl 2HQ 5 copies British Library, Legal Deposit Office, Boston Spa, Wetherby, West Yorkshire, LS23 7BQ 1 copy Chadwick-Healey Ltd, Cambridge Place, Cambridge, CB2 INR 1 copy BIOSIS UK, Garforth House, 54 Michlegate, York, YOl ILF 1 copy CITES Management and Scientific Authorities of EC Member States total 30 copies CITES Authorities, UK Dependencies total 13 copies CITES Secretariat 5 copies CITES Animals Committee chairman 1 copy European Commission DG Xl/D/2 1 copy World Conservation Monitoring Centre 20 copies TRAFFIC International 5 copies Animal Quarantine Station, Heathrow 1 copy Department of the Environment (GWD) 5 copies Foreign & Commonwealth Office (ESED) 1 copy HM Customs & Excise 3 copies M Bradley Taylor (ACPO) 1 copy ^\(\\ Joint Nature Conservation Committee Report No.
    [Show full text]
  • Status of Coral Reefs and Sedimentation at Kota Kinabalu a Preliminary Study at Gaya Bay
    STATUS OF CORAL REEFS AND SEDIMENTATION AT KOTA KINABALU: A PRELIMINARY STUDY AT GAYA BAY AND SEPANGAR BAY Zarinah Waheed1, Farrah Anis F. Adnan2 Lee Chee Hwa1 & Siti Rahayu Mohd. Hashim2 1Borneo Marine Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, 88999 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia 2School of Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sabah 88999 Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia ABSTRACT. Sedimentation is considered as one of the major factors that cause degradation of coral reefs in coastal areas. This study examined the effect of sedimentation on coral reefs at Gaya Island (Gaya Bay), Sepangar Island and UMS jetty (Sepangar Bay). At each location, two depths were surveyed, between 3m - 5m and between 7m -10m. The status of coral reefs was surveyed by using Line Intercept Transect, Fish Visual Census and Invertebrate Belt Survey. Two 20m line transects were laid at each depth. Sedimentation rates were measured by placing sediment traps at areas where the reef was surveyed. The sediment traps were collected once a month and further laboratory analysis was undertaken to determine the sedimentation rate, calcium carbonate content, organic matter content and sediment composition. Coral reef surveys conducted at all the sites showed that three sites were in fair condition (25-50% hard coral cover) while the other three sites were in good condition (50-75% hard coral cover). The low levels or absence of indicator species suggest overexploitation of the invertebrates and fishes on the reef. The mean sedimentation rate measured at the UMS jetty was higher than Gaya Island and Sepangar Island (126.25 ± 86.58 mg/cm2/day, 3.15 ± 1.75 mg/cm2day and 7.62 ± 6.9 mg/cm2/day, respectively).
    [Show full text]
  • Status of Coral Reefs in Malaysia, 2011
    Reef Check Malaysia Bhd (783440-X) Status of Coral Reefs in Malaysia, 2011 Reef Check Malaysia Saving Our Reefs Research, Education, Conservation Reef Check Malaysia Bhd (783440-X) Contents Page Executive Summary 1. Introduction 1 2. Reef Check 2 2.1 Background 2 2.2 Survey Methodology 2 2.3 Survey Sites 3 3. 2011 Survey Results & Analysis 4 3.1 Status of Coral Reefs in Malaysia 2011 4 3.2 Comparison Between Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia 9 3.3 Status of Coral Reefs on Islands/Regions in Malaysia 11 4. Challenges and Recommendations 23 4.1 General Recommendations 23 4.2 Peninsular Malaysia 23 4.3 East Malaysia 25 4.4 Improving Management Through Monitoring 25 5. The Broader Picture: Building Coral Reef Resilience 27 Acknowledgements 28 References 29 Appendix 1 30 Saving Our Reefs Research, Education, Conservation Reef Check Malaysia Bhd (783440-X) Executive Summary 1. A total of 100 Reef Check surveys were completed in 2011, 52 in Peninsular Malaysia and 48 in East Malaysia, a slight increase on 2010. The surveys are a continuation of a successful National Reef Check Survey Programme that has now run for five years. 2. The surveys were carried out by volunteers trained and certified in the global standard Reef Check method. Nearly 50 people were trained in 2011, adding to the base of volunteers who are participating in Reef Check Malaysia’s programmes. 10% of trainees were officers of the Department of Marine Parks Malaysia, reflecting growing interest from the Government in further improving management of Malaysia’s coral reefs.
    [Show full text]
  • Ecological and Socio-Economic Impacts of Dive
    ECOLOGICAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF DIVE AND SNORKEL TOURISM IN ST. LUCIA, WEST INDIES Nola H. L. Barker Thesis submittedfor the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Science Environment Department University of York August 2003 Abstract Coral reefsprovide many servicesand are a valuableresource, particularly for tourism, yet they are suffering significant degradationand pollution worldwide. To managereef tourism effectively a greaterunderstanding is neededof reef ecological processesand the impactsthat tourist activities haveon them. This study explores the impact of divers and snorkelerson the reefs of St. Lucia, West Indies, and how the reef environmentaffects tourists' perceptionsand experiencesof them. Observationsof divers and snorkelersrevealed that their impact on the reefs followed certainpatterns and could be predictedfrom individuals', site and dive characteristics.Camera use, night diving and shorediving were correlatedwith higher levels of diver damage.Briefings by dive leadersalone did not reducetourist contactswith the reef but interventiondid. Interviewswith tourists revealedthat many choseto visit St. Lucia becauseof its marineprotected area. Certain site attributes,especially marine life, affectedtourists' experiencesand overall enjoyment of reefs.Tourists were not alwaysable to correctly ascertainabundance of marine life or sedimentpollution but they were sensitiveto, and disliked seeingdamaged coral, poor underwatervisibility, garbageand other tourists damagingthe reef. Some tourists found sitesto be
    [Show full text]
  • M.V. Solita's Passage Notes
    M.V. SOLITA’S PASSAGE NOTES SABAH BORNEO, MALAYSIA Updated August 2014 1 CONTENTS General comments Visas 4 Access to overseas funds 4 Phone and Internet 4 Weather 5 Navigation 5 Geographical Observations 6 Flags 10 Town information Kota Kinabalu 11 Sandakan 22 Tawau 25 Kudat 27 Labuan 31 Sabah Rivers Kinabatangan 34 Klias 37 Tadian 39 Pura Pura 40 Maraup 41 Anchorages 42 2 Sabah is one of the 13 Malaysian states and with Sarawak, lies on the northern side of the island of Borneo, between the Sulu and South China Seas. Sabah and Sarawak cover the northern coast of the island. The lower two‐thirds of Borneo is Kalimantan, which belongs to Indonesia. The area has a fascinating history, and probably because it is on one of the main trade routes through South East Asia, Borneo has had many masters. Sabah and Sarawak were incorporated into the Federation of Malaysia in 1963 and Malaysia is now regarded a safe and orderly Islamic country. Sabah has a diverse ethnic population of just over 3 million people with 32 recognised ethnic groups. The largest of these is the Malays (these include the many different cultural groups that originally existed in their own homeland within Sabah), Chinese and “non‐official immigrants” (mainly Filipino and Indonesian). In recent centuries piracy was common here, but it is now generally considered relatively safe for cruising. However, the nearby islands of Southern Philippines have had some problems with militant fundamentalist Muslim groups – there have been riots and violence on Mindanao and the Tawi Tawi Islands and isolated episodes of kidnapping of people from Sabah in the past 10 years or so.
    [Show full text]
  • How to Prepare the Final Version of Your Manuscript for The
    Proceedings of the 12th International Coral Reef Symposium, Cairns, Australia, 9-13 July 2012 17C Regional-scale design and local scale actions for marine Bridging the gap between regional plans and local action: The case of the Malaysian Coral Triangle Initiative and Semporna, Sabah. Choo Poh Leem1, Kenneth Kassem1,2,Monique Sumampouw1, 1WWF-Malaysia Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia 2Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Japan Corresponding author: [email protected] Abstract. Within the Sulu-Sulawesi Marine Ecoregion (SSME), Semporna Priority Conservation Area (PCA) ranks among the highest marine biodiversity in the world. Within Semporna waters, there are several government bodies responsible for different islands. Tun Sakaran Marine Park was gazetted under the management of Sabah Parks in 2004. Sipadan Island’s water is under the protection of Majlis Keselamatan Negara (National Security Council). The Department of Fisheries Sabah is interested in Omadal Island for seaweed farming. Mabul Island receives the most attention due to its proximity to Sipadan, and is the base for most tourism operators. Mabul has 2,500 residents relying on fisheries, and more than 15 resorts and dive lodges on 26 hectares of land (Aw et al, 2006). Reef check survey, community-based seagrass survey, seawater quality monitoring and groundwater analysis have been conducted on Mabul over the past 2 years. The environmental condition of Mabul is currently threatened, to the point where it might become the source of pollution that will spread to other islands within the Semporna PCA. Collaborative environmental monitoring has been identified as a primary method to reverse human impacts, so collaborative efforts have been initiated on Mabul since April 2010.
    [Show full text]
  • Biomineralisation in Reef-Building Corals: from Molecular Mechanisms to Environmental Control
    C. R. Palevol 3 (2004) 453–467 General Palaeontology (Palaeobiochemistry) Biomineralisation in reef-building corals: from molecular mechanisms to environmental control Denis Allemand a,b,*, Christine Ferrier-Pagès a, Paola Furla a,1, Fanny Houlbrèque a, Sandrine Puverel a,b, Stéphanie Reynaud a, Éric Tambutté a, Sylvie Tambutté a, Didier Zoccola a a Centre scientifique de Monaco, avenue Saint-Martin, 98000 Monaco, principauté de Monaco b UMR 1112 INRA–UNSA, faculté des sciences, université Nice–Sophia-Antipolis, parc Valrose, BP 71, 06108 Nice cedex 2, France Received 7 October 2003; accepted after revision 12 July 2004 Available online 30 September 2004 Written on invitation of the Editorial Board Abstract Coral reefs constitute real oasis sheltering for about one third of the identified fishes, representing a major advantage for the economy and tourism of many tropical countries. However it is paradoxical to notice that their formation at the cellular level or even at the scale of the organism is still poorly known. Effectively, biomineralisation, the process that is at the basis of their edification, is always the subject of numerous researches. Two combined mechanisms lead to the formation of a biomineral, the synthesis/secretion of macromolecules referred to as ‘organic matrix’, and the transport of ions (calcium, bicarbonates and protons in the case of calcification) to the mineralising site. This review shows a view of the works carried out on biominerali- sation in scleractinian corals, including some aspects on the control of calcification by environmental parameters. It also gives insights into the biological basis of the use of coral skeletons as environmental archives in palaeo-oceanography.
    [Show full text]