BIODIVERSITY OF CORAL REEF S ALONG THE GULF COAST OF SAUDI ARABIA)

1. BIODIVERSITY OF CORAL REEF S ALONG THE GULF COAST OF SAUDI ARABIA) Krishna Kumar, P.K., Joydas, T.V., Lindo, R.T., Magallanes, R., Cali, N.A., Saji, P.A., Manikandan, K. P and Qurban, M.B. Centre for Environment & Water, Research Institute King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia.

2. WHY ARE CORAL REEFS SO IMPORTANT? Coral reefs are some of the oldest and most diverse ecosystems on the planet. Living museums and reflect thousands of years of history. Breeding & feeding ground for several marine organisms including fishes. Provide resources and services worth many billions of dollars each year to human societies. Buffers shorelines against waves, storms, and floods, helping to prevent loss of life, property damage, and erosion. Coral reef plants and animals are important sources of new medicines - “medicine cabinets” of the 21st century.

3. UNIQUE GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION Shallow-water and Hermatypic (corals that produce reefs) OR Deep-water and Ahermatypic (corals that cannot produce reefs)

4. CORAL REEF MONITORING STUDIES BY KFUPM • MEPA/ROPME Pilot Research and Monitoring Program, Vol. III - Coral Reef Studies. 1988. For the Australian Trade Commission. • Sustaining Research Project- Marine Environmental Studies (1984)- Saudi Aramco • 1. Phase –I- 1984-1990 • 2. Phase –II- 1990-1994 • 3. Phase –III- 1995-2001 • 4. Phase –IV- 2001- 2006 • 5. Phase –V- 2007-2012 • Coral Reef Survey in Support of the Marine and Coastal Damage Assessment (OSDA) 2003. for the Presidency for Meteorology and Environment .

5. TOPICS OF PRESENTATION • Introduction • Review and assess the biodiversity of coral reefs along the Gulf coast. • Review and assess the biodiversity of coral reef fishes. • Document the present status of coral reefs along the Gulf coast. • Assess the long term impact of natural and anthropogenic stresses on coral reefs. • Threats and management issues. • Conclusion

6. INTRODUCTION • Coral reefs of widely differing sizes and structures occur in near shore areas along the eastern coast of Saudi Arabia. • Selected coral reefs along the Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia were regularly surveyed by KFUPM/RI since 1985 (McCain et al. 1984; Coles, 1988; Coles and Tarr, 1990; Coles & Fadllallah 1991). • Arabian Gulf coral communities exist in a harsh environment with respect to salinities, SST and extreme low tide (Coles & Fadllallah 1991; Sheppard et al. 1992). • A variety of natural and anthropogenic disturbances threaten the survival of coral reefs along the Gulf coast. • There is an urgent need to conserve coral reefs

7. NATURAL CONSTRAINTS TO CORAL REEF DEVELOPMENT –ARABIAN GULF SALINITY • Extreme temperature range & anomalies (10-15 yrs). • Extreme salinity range. • Extensive areas of unconsolidated carbonate sediments. • Scouring action by mobile sediments on limestone substrates. • Competition with macro-algae. 7

8. CORAL REEF DISTRIBUTION ALONG GULF COAST Porites sp. Acropora sp.

9. REEFS ASSOCIATED WITH OFFSHORE ISLANDS Rich coral reefs thrive around Karan, Jana, Jurayd, Al Arabiyah and Kurayn Islands

10. SPECIES DIVERSITY (HERMATYPIC CORALS) Family Family Acroporidae (11) Dendrophyllidae(4) Acropora valida Turbinaria pelata Poritidae (6) Pocilloporidae(1) Stylophora pistillata Porites lobata Siderastreidae (8) Mussidae (1) Pseudosiderastrea tayami Acanthastraea echinata Faviidae (21) Total = 52 species (Arabian Gulf waters) Favites pentagona

11. GULF REGION- CORAL SPECIES

12. ACROPORA SPECIES from Karan Island

13. CORAL REEF BIODIVERSITY OF OFFSHORE ISLANDS

15. CORAL REEF FISHES- REGIONAL DIVERSITY

16. SOME OF THE REEF ASSOCIATED FISHES Abudefduf vaigiensis Lutjanus sp. Chaetodon nigropunctatus   Chaetodon melapterus Pomacanthus maculosus Amphiprion clarkii

17. FISH ABUNDANCE & BIODIVERSITY Total Species (S) Abundance (N) Shannon Index Richness (d)

18. FISH FEEDING GUILDS AT DIFFERENT REEFS

19. THREATS & MANAGEMENT ISSUES NATURAL : • Coral Bleaching: Coral mortality (up to 98%) following bleaching events associated with increases in the frequency and prolongation of positive seawater temperature anomalies. • Diseases: Yellow-band, Black-band and white band diseases present and prevalence maybe increased by anthropogenic stressors. • Crown of Thorns: Periodically abundant on East Coast reefs where they have caused extensive damage. ANTHROPOGENIC: • Dredging & landfilling • Coastal Pollution • Fishing Impacts

20. NATURAL STRESSES- ALONG GULF COAST • Coral bleaching events of 1996: In the summer, near shore SST was 33.5o - 37°C for no less than 90 days. • Black Band Disease (BBD) for Acropora clathrata coral was documented at Abu Ali reef during Aug-Sep1996. • Another bleaching event recorded in 1998, which was detrimental to reefs barely recovering from the 1996 bleaching. BLEACHED CORALS

21. LONG TERM CHANGES IN % LIVE CORAL COVER Coral Bleaching Events 1996 1998

22. LONG TERM CHANGES IN NUMBER OF FISH SPECIES

23. LONG TERM CHANGES IN FISH BIODIVERSITY

24. COASTAL POLLUTION 1991- Oil Spill Sewage Discharge

25. DREDGING AND LANDFILLING- EXAMPLE TARUT BAY

26. TARUT BAY REEF- TRENDS IN CORAL REEF STATUS

27. IMPACT OF FISHING • Damage to Corals from Fishing Practices. • Anchor and Boat Grounding Damage to Reefs. Ghost Fishing Anchor damage to corals

28. DOCUMENTATION OF DAMAGES- NET & ANCHOR

29. CONSERVATION THEMES • Legislation Applicable to the Conservation of Coral Reefs, • Research, Monitoring and Documentation, • Education and Public awareness, • Practical Conservation of Coral Reefs.

30. ESTABLISHMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF ANCHOR BUOYS • They minimize anchor damage to coral reefs, • Stop drifting fishing nets from reaching the reef.

31. MOORING BUOYS AROUND OFFSHORE ISLANDS • Buoys were deployed by KFUPM during 2006-2008, funded by Saudi Aramco around coral islands. KARAN ISLAND KURAYN ISLAND JANA ISLAND

32. CONCLUSION • The coral reefs of the Saudi Arabia have cultural, economic and scientific value. • Coral reef monitoring activities in Saudi Arabia started in 1984 by KFUPM. • A total of 41 coral species were reported in 1979 and their number has reduced to nearly 20 in 2006. • A total of 69 -85 coral fish species belonging to 24-34 families were observed from reefs, compared to 102 species reported in 1982. • Threats to coral are primarily derived from positive seawater temperature anomalies, coastal pollution, dredging and landfill and the effects of fishing. • The coral bleaching events in 1996 and 1998 affected the live coral cover and reef associated fishes. • A declining trends in live coral coverage, fish species number and biodiversity was observed at Tarut Bay and Abu Ali reefs.

33. Thank You