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Hindustan Times
5 hours ago
- Science
- Hindustan Times
Lakshadweep's coral cover halved in 24 yrs
A 24-year-long study of corals in the Lakshadweep archipelago has found a 50% decline in coral cover compared to 1998 as a result of repeated marine heatwaves, exacerbated by climate change. The study published in the journal of Diversity and Distributions said this decline was explained by reduced recovery rates after each bleaching event, despite coral mortality decreasing with successive events. The paper concluded that the fate of corals in Lakshadweep will be determined by the return time of bleaching events. (HT photo) The paper concluded that the fate of corals in Lakshadweep will be determined by the return time of bleaching events, underscoring that urgent climate action is critical to secure the ecological integrity of tropical reefs. The scientists leading the study, including Rohan Arthur and Mayukh Dey from the Oceans and Coasts Programme of Nature Conservation Foundation concluded that 'the one thing reefs need to recover is time'. 'Without a pause in the frequency of marine heatwaves, whatever resilience tropical reefs have is likely to be short lived. Our results show that fewer corals die simply because less is available to die in later years,' they added. 'In the long run, we must call the crisis by its name and acknowledge that the integrity of tropical reefs, like the rest of global biodiversity, cannot sustain the seemingly impervious logic of the prevailing economic order. Without scale-appropriate radical policies, laws, and actions to address these ultimate causes, anything we do locally for reefs will be symptomatic and palliative fixes,' the scientists said. Lakshadweep Archipelago has 12 coral atolls in the northern Indian Ocean. The archipelago is among the most densely populated atoll systems globally with 10 populated islands, with more than 2000 people/sq km. Lakshadweep has experienced three marine heatwaves associated with the El Niño phase of the ENSO phenomena in 1998 (5.3 Degree Heating Weeks, DHW), 2010 (6.7 DHW) and 2016 (5.2 DHW), with 2010 being the most severe of the three. Hindustan Times, in a series on Lakshadweep published last year reported how the islands experienced a severe bleaching event in 2024. The heat stress in Lakshadweep (Laccadive Sea) and in Southeast India was record-setting in 2024 according to Derek P Manzello, Coordinator, NOAA Coral Reef Watch. The metric used to gauge heat stress on corals is called Degree Heating Weeks (DHW). DHW shows how much heat stress has accumulated in an area over the past 3 months. In 2024, Lakshadweep reached 9.2 DHWs, whereas SE India reached 9 DHWs. The prior record for Lakshadweep was 6.7 DHW in 2010, and it was 6.9 DHW for SE India in 2016, said Manzello. Since 1998, researchers from the Nature Conservation Foundation have been tracking reef conditions at three atolls across the Lakshadweep Archipelago , Agatti, Kadmat and Kavaratti , to understand how reefs respond to climate change. This monitoring programme has monitored reefs as they declined and recovered from three major El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events — in 1998, 2010 and 2016. The data was analysed to explore if changes in the composition of coral could be explained by the number of heatwaves experienced and by more local factors, such as seasonally strong wave action and depth at which corals are found. The team also found that these results challenge the simplistic narrative that all coral reefs respond in a similar fashion to climate change, and are universally doomed. Even within a small archipelago like Lakshadweep, there is a large variability in responses -- sometimes in reefs only a few kilometres apart. 'The Lakshadweep reefs have been home to me since I first dived here as a young researcher. To see these diverse ecosystems decline before my eyes is soul-destroying. Our findings are a bittersweet offering. On the one hand, it shows me that the reef is more complex and more resilient in its responses than I could ever have imagined it to be the first time I saw it bleaching in 1998. On the other hand, I realise that we have a limited window to change the narrative on tropical reefs. Without real and considered action on climate change, the reefs of Lakshadweep could well be functionally extinct in my lifetime -- and I cannot bear to think of what that would mean for my friends who call Lakshadweep their home,' said Rohan Arthur, Senior Scientist at the Nature Conservation Foundation who heads the Oceans and Coasts Programme. 'Many coral areas in our reefs are now dead. We have seen it first hand. The corals in the eastern end of Kavaratti are dead. This was seen after cyclone, Ockhi in 2017. We cannot express how we feel about this loss,' said Saheer Ali, diving instructor in Kavaratti. The Indian Ocean basin, the fastest warming basin in the world, will see accelerated warming at a rate of 1.7 degree C-3.8°C per century during 2020-2100, a research paper published in Elsevier last year said. It also warned that this will lead to an increase in severe weather events, prolonged marine heatwaves and extreme Indian Ocean Dipole events that will influence the monsoon and cyclone development.
The Hindu
19 hours ago
- Science
- The Hindu
24-year study reveals that coral cover in Lakshadweep saw 50% reduction
Concerning revelations have emerged from one of the longest-running coral reef monitoring programmes in the Indian Ocean. The 24-year-long study shows that corals in the Lakshadweep archipelago have declined to half of what they were in 1998 as a result of repeated marine heatwaves, exacerbated by climate change. However, local conditions, such as wave exposure and depth, play essential roles in shaping how reefs respond to and recover from these events. The study, 'Local Environmental Filtering and Frequency of Marine Heatwaves Influence Decadal Trends in Coral Composition', published in the journal Diversity and Distributions, uses long-term data sets to propose a predictive framework, which could help identify vulnerable reefs, and reefs that may still have the potential to recover. Since 1998, researchers from the Nature Conservation Foundation have been tracking reef condition at three atolls across the Lakshadweep archipelago — Agatti, Kadmat and Kavaratti — to understand how reefs respond to climate change. This monitoring programme has monitored reefs as they declined and recovered from three major El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events — in 1998, 2010 and 2016. The data was analysed to explore if changes in the composition of coral could be explained by the number of heatwaves experienced and by more local factors, such as seasonally strong wave action and depth at which corals are found. Reduced recovery rate 'Over 24 years, coral cover declined from 37.24% to 19.6%, reflecting a roughly 50% reduction from the 1998 baseline. This decline was explained by reduced recovery rates after each bleaching event, despite coral mortality decreasing with successive events. Recovery rates dramatically increased after six years, suggesting a critical period of bleaching-free years needed for reefs to recover. We observed contrasting responses of coral genera, which clustered in six groups representing distinct assemblage-wide patterns in distribution (depth and wave exposure) and bleaching responses. Genera with different life histories clustered together, highlighting the importance of local environments in determining the survival and recovery of corals across taxa,' the researchers stated. Species are expected to respond to disturbances according to their biological characteristics (life history traits), and the researchers expected that corals in Lakshadweep reefs will closely track their biology, as has been suggested by other studies, resulting in a clear set of winners and losers on the reef. 'What we found was much more nuanced. Over the 24 years of change, we identified not just two group of winners or losers, but six distinct kinds of responses (or clusters), based on how corals were affected by heatwaves, their recovery time, the depth at which they were found, and whether they grew on exposed or sheltered reefs. Importantly, these clusters are a useful predictive framework, which we can use to map other reefs across the archipelago and possibly beyond, to determine their susceptibility to climate change. This work offers an unprecedented tool to assist classifying corals based on their ability to resist and recover from future bleaching events, which can lead to meaningful spatial planning in the face of climate change — something that was unavailable for this region until now,' they stated. Time is of essence The researchers warn that no amount of local resilience and restoration efforts, especially in regions that do not support corals that make up a resilient cluster, can substitute urgent global climate action: 'The one thing reefs need to recover is time. Without a pause in the frequency of marine heatwaves, whatever resilience tropical reefs have is likely to be short lived. Our results show that less corals die simply because less is available to die in later years. In the long run, we must call the crisis by its name and acknowledge that the integrity of tropical reefs, like the rest of global biodiversity, cannot sustain the seemingly impervious logic of the prevailing economic order. Without scale-appropriate radical policies, laws, and actions to address these ultimate causes, anything we do locally for reefs will be symptomatic and palliative fixes.'
Time of India
3 days ago
- General
- Time of India
ATR to house hornbill conservation centre
Chennai: Tamil Nadu govt sanctioned 1 crore for establishing a Centre of Excellence for the conservation of Great Indian Hornbill at Aanamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR). The announcement was made in the assembly in March this year, and the govt order was issued on Monday following the finance department's concurrence, said forest secretary Supriya Sahu. The centre will focus on research, monitoring, breeding, climate monitoring, movement ecology, natural history documentation, food and nest tree surveys, and genetic diversity studies. Habitat management efforts will include ecological restoration of hornbill habitats, protection of nesting and roosting sites, raising saplings from ethically collected seeds through a nursery, and installation of artificial nest boxes. The forest department will set up a research and training facility with field and lab equipment, seminar and training halls, and accommodation for researchers. The department has begun efforts to identify suitable land for the facility at foothills of the tiger reserve. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai The centre will work with expert organisations including the Nature Conservation Foundation, Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), Advanced Institute for Wildlife Conservation, and Wildlife Institute of India. Supriya Sahu said the initiative aims to fill knowledge gaps on hornbill ecology, and involve local communities in conservation efforts.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Science
- The Hindu
Multiple mothing events to mark National Moth Week in Bengaluru
The National Moth Week (NMW) is being celebrated in various parts of the country, including Bengaluru, from July 19 to 27. The NMW is a global endeavor to raise awareness about moths and their vital role in the ecosystem. According to the organisers of the NMW, India has been a vibrant participant since 2013 and once again will join this global citizen science initiative, encouraging enthusiasts, families, and organizations to discover and document the incredible diversity of moths. Participants across India can register their private or public mothing events on the official National Moth Week website ( Observations collected during these events contribute to global knowledge through the iNaturalist platform, helping to expand the understanding of moth biodiversity and geographical distribution. In Bengaluru, a public talk has already been held, and a moth trapping session is scheduled at the Nature Conservation Foundation and a moth watching session planned at ATREE on July 21. 'By simply observing and contributing through platforms like iNaturalist, we collectively enhance our understanding of moth biodiversity and their geographical distribution, which is crucial for conservation efforts. We encourage everyone to join or host an event and become a part of this global effort to celebrate these incredible creatures,' said Vijay Barve, coordinator of DiversityIndia and a core team member of NMW. Pritha Dey, country coordinator for India and core member of the IndianMoths community, said NMW is an incredible opportunity for people of all ages to connect with nature and contribute to scientific research. 'Moths are often misunderstood, but they are crucial pollinators and an important part of the food chain. By participating, you can help us learn more about these fascinating creatures right in your backyard,' Ms. Dey said. There are an estimated 1,50,000 to 2,00,000 moth species worldwide, showcasing a stunning array of colors, patterns, and sizes. The organisers said that while most are nocturnal, some species are active during the day, much like butterflies. Observing moths can be as simple as turning on a porch light after dark, or for dedicated enthusiasts, using special lights and baits. In India, the IndianMoths community spearheads the NMW celebrations, in association with numerous organisations such as DiversityIndia, iNaturewatch Foundation, Titli Trust, and Nature Mates Nature Club.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
William pays tribute to rangers protecting snow leopards in wildlife series
The Prince of Wales has praised a wildlife ranger protecting snow leopards coming into conflict with humans for helping 'turn fear into understanding'. William's comments are made in an on-screen introduction for the latest episode of his new wildlife documentary series, Guardians, highlighting the work of rangers across the globe. The future king says: 'Snow leopards are such beautiful creatures, known as the Ghosts of the Himalayas, and just having sight of one is so rare that it feels incredibly special. 'These elusive, big cats may be rarely seen, but they share a deep connection with local people, and as the snow leopards' natural food sources have become scarce, they have ventured closer to human settlements in search of prey, killing livestock and leading to conflicts with local communities. 'In this episode, we meet Kalzang — a ranger bridging the space between tradition and progress. 'His work protects these animals, powers scientific discovery, and helps turn fear into understanding – while guiding a new generation towards sustainable coexistence.' Veteran broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough is William's 'inspiration' for the six-part series he hopes will help nature's wardens be 'valued, respected, seen' and promote the 'wonderful' regions they protect. Ranger Kalzang Gurmet and his team working in the Indian Himalayas are featured in the episode called the Guardians of the Spiti Valley and seen trekking in the mountains. Mr Gurmet, field manager for Nature Conservation Foundation, said: 'In the context of conserving wild animals, it's said in our stories that wild animals are the jewel of the forest. 'So, for this reason, conservationists are essential. Ultimately, it will benefit us and our region.'
