學術資源整合系統-相關推薦
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| 作者 | Jeng, M.-S., Huang, H.-D. Chen, T.-S. |
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| 出版日期 | 2006 |
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| 著作名稱 | Environmental Changes and Conservation of Remote Island Coral Reefs in Taiwan
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| 摘要 | Most coral reefs in Taiwanese remote islands are threatened by human activities in coastal areas. To promote the conservation on local coral reefs, Taiwanese Coral Reef Society in recent years has been appealing the government to develop and conduct coral reef protection and management programs. Fortunately, these efforts for marine ecosystem conservation have been noticed, and the action of conserving coral reefs by the governments and local communities will lead to effects in the future.
Except the western sandy coasts, coral communities occur in most waters around Taiwan. The well-developed fringing reefs are at the southern tip of the island—the Hengchun Peninsula. Around remote islands off Taiwan grow flourishing coral reefs. Lutao (Green Island) , Lanyu (Orchid Island) , Hsiaoliuchiu, and Penghu Islands (the Pescadores) develop rich fringing and patch reefs; Tungsha (Pratas) Island and Taiping (Itu Aba) Island in the South China Sea are flourishing atolls. Since past decades, coral coverage off Tungsha Island has declined due to intensive overfishing and coral bleaching.
MPAs with effective law enforcement, prevention of marine pollution, and restoration of coral reefs and endangered marine organisms are crucial to the future of coral reefs in Taiwan. To establish basic database for future management, related research activities on the population and community dynamics of reef organisms, physiological acclimation on corals, and the impacts of climate change on coral reefs should receive more supports. Moreover, educational activities to promote public awareness in marine conservation are required. Recently, Taiwanese government promised to establish the MPAs around Green Island and Tungsha Island. Subsequent actions are believed to set up role models for conserving coral reefs in Taiwan.
1. Green Island—Marine Protected Area or Marine National Park
In recent 3 years, the number of tourists visiting Green Island has been continuously increasing (ca. 400,000 per year). On the contrary, abundance of economical or edible marine species is significantly declining and the local ecology quickly deteriorated. At present, most of Green Island residents depend on the tourism trade and activities for living, and desperately consume local ecological resources. Thus, to persuade both local tourism agencies and fishermen jointly to conserve marine ecology and resources for sustainable development has become an urgent mission. So far, how to determine the sizes and locations of MPAs around the Green Island and how to reduce the impact of MPAs on local tourism and daily lives are another important issues in future management. Hopefully the MPAs in Green Island will lead to win-win for conservation and local economy.
2. Tungsha ( Pratas ) Islands—the first Marine National Park of Taiwan
Tungsha is the first marine national park of Taiwan in 2006. Its total area is 3565 km2, embracing the outer 12 nautical mile zone surrounding the lagoon. The average living coral coverage is approximately 15% in the lagoon, where mushroom corals are dominant species. More than 75% outer seaward slopes are coral-covered; faunal composition of the northern slope is dominated by soft corals while that of the southern and eastern slopes are dominated by hard corals. Due to the coral bleaching in 1998, the abundance of macroalgae and invertebrates in the lagoon is much lower than that on outer seaward slopes. Because of poaching and overfishing, many economical species are endangered in the park area. From 2005, the Taiwanese Coral Reef Society conducted a long-term coral reef monitoring project around the area. Twelve monitoring stations were set up for ecological investigation and water quality analysis. It is hoped the park will serve as a sanctuary of marine biodiversity, a living museum for marine heritage, and a supporting source of recruitments for fisheries of all the adjacent countries. |
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| 系統號 | NO000004187 |
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