What is Coral Triangle?

What is Coral Triangle?

Why in News? The Coral Triangle, recognized as the richest marine ecosystem in the world, continues to face increasing threats due to climate change. The Philippines has launched Southeast Asia’s first cryobank for coral larvae, established by the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute (UP MSI).
Key Points:
The Coral Triangle: Biodiversity Hotspot of the Ocean:
• Occupies 5.7 million sq. km of tropical waters across six countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste).
• Contains over 75% of the world’s coral species and one third of all reef fish species, enormous mangrove forests, and six of the seven known species of marine turtles.
• Provides food security and livelihoods for over 120 million people in coastal communities.
Increased Threats to the Ecosystem:
• Future stressors include rapid increases in carbon emitted, destructive fishing, air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, and accelerated climate change.
• Results include coral bleaching, loss of habitat, loss of species abundance, all of which threaten biodiversity and human communities.
• Global data (2018 Status of Coral Reefs of the World report); the planet lost 14% of corals between 2009 and 2018.
• Projections with respect to percent live coral cover; if warming is greater than 1.5 degrees, 70 to 90% live coral cover is projected to be lost by 2050 (UN Environment Programme).

What is Coral Triangle?

The Coral Triangle is a large marine area in the western Pacific region that is often called the “Amazon of the Seas” for its incredible biodiversity.
Location: It encompasses approximately 5.7 million sq. km across the tropical waters of Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste.
Biodiversity: It contains 76% of the world’s coral species, over 2,000 species of reef fish, six of the world’s seven species of marine turtles, and an immense variety of other marine life.
Ecological Significance: The Coral Triangle supports the food security, livelihoods, and coastline protection of over 120 million people living in the region.
Global Significance: Touted as the apex of marine biodiversity, the Coral Triangle is also imperative to the sustenance of global fisheries and to the health of oceans.

About Coral Larvae Cryobank:

A specialized facility that preserves coral larvae (early life stages of corals) at ultra-low temperatures (using cryopreservation).

Objective: To safeguard genetic diversity of coral species and provide a long-term resource for reef restoration and biodiversity conservation.

Significance:

• Protects coral species from extinction due to climate change, ocean acidification, and bleaching events.

Acts as a genetic bank, enabling scientists to reintroduce healthy coral stock into degraded reefs in the future