Also known as "Ocean Amazon", this vast underwater ecosystem in Southeast Asia is a hotspot of marine biodiversity, with 30% of coral reefs in the world, covering an area of 2.3 million square miles (6 million square kilometers). From humpback whales to humpback whales, all kinds of marine life exist and multiply on coral reefs in the coral delta.
Biodiversity Hotspot "If you go to a place in the coral delta, such as the Fodor Strait or Bali, there is too much micro-habitat diversity," said Luiz Rocha, a coral reef scientist at the California Academy of Sciences. "From one reef to another, you can walk 100 yards (90 meters), and the composition of the reef will be completely different.
There are more than 500 species of reef-building corals in this area, which have adapted to a series of habitats. Some corals, such as Ricardo Roberto Barreto da Rocha and other scientists at the California Academy of Sciences, have adapted to living in deeper and colder water. According to the Natural History Museum in London, unlike the crystal-clear environment that most corals like, other corals in this area adapt to muddy and sediment-rich waters.
According to the World Wildlife Fund, it is home to nearly one-third of coral reef fish and six species of turtles in the world. Other marine life, such as dugong, rays, manta rays and groups of invertebrates, inhabit some parts of the coral delta.
There are many theories that can explain why coral reefs in this area are so successful. The following points can explain the rich life in the coral delta:
Origin center hypothesis: Coral delta is composed of various habitats, from volcanic islands on rocky coast to white sand beaches to mangroves. Scientists suspect that the diversity of landscape contributes to the diversity of species in this area, because these species are forced to adapt to the geographically complex coral reef system. Aggregation center hypothesis: mainstream water flows into coral delta. According to the aggregation center hypothesis, many species originated from isolated islands in the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, such as Hawaii or Maldives, and then were swept into the coral delta by these ocean currents. Once they enter the coral delta, these species will mix with those already living in the area and eventually form new species. Overlapping center hypothesis: the coral triangle lies between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. Marine species from two water bodies have settled in some areas of coral reef system where ocean basins overlap, increasing the number of species found in this area. There are Indian Ocean fauna in parts of Indonesia. Paul Barber, a marine scientist at UCLA, said, "Some parts of Indonesia have Pacific fauna, while others have both." It is the overlap of these two animals that creates such diverse ecosystems. Survival center hypothesis: with the increase of geographical area, the risk of extinction decreases. If a species inhabits a large area, then if something happens to a certain part of the coral reef where this species lives, then the possibility of extinction of this species is even smaller. Barber said, "Because the coral delta is the largest coral reef area in the world, its extinction rate will be the lowest in the world." Ricardo Roberto Barreto da Rocha said that unlike the Great Barrier Reef or the Caribbean Reef, the Great Barrier Reef or the Caribbean Reef is more exposed and has changed greatly with time. The coral delta is "a very stable region, even in geological times". 20 18 10 research published in the journal process I put up with this acidity, so they slowly dissolved. , but there is still hope, Rosa insisted. He said that the Coral Triangle "is more adaptable to climate change because of its complexity". Because the coral triangle is less exposed than the Great Barrier Reef and other places, it may bear some more terrible consequences of climate change.
Extended reading:
Learn what the Coral Triangle Center is doing to help protect and protect the Coral Triangle. Learn more about the Coral Triangle from the World Wildlife Fund. Learn more about the basic biology of coral reefs from Scripps Institute of Oceanography.