(JP)Okinawa coral reef said richest in rare species

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http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/20020215wo71.htm

 

Okinawa coral reef said richest in rare species

 

Daily Yomiuri On-Line, 15 Feb 2002

Makiko Tatebayashi Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

 

An international research team recently found that

coral reefs in an area off southern Japan stretching

from the Amami Islands to Okinawa Island and Taiwan

are an ideal habitat for a number of rare species of

marine life and called for active efforts to protect

the region's fragile ecosystem.

 

The findings reported by a team made up of Australian,

British, Canadian and U.S. researchers from

institutions including Harvard University and

Britain's University of York will be carried in

Friday's issue of the U.S. journal Science.

 

The team analyzed the distribution of 3,235 kinds of

marine life, including 1,700 fish species, 804 coral

species, 662 conch species and 69 lobster species. The

team picked 10 " hot spots " worldwide as highly

ecologically diversified areas.

 

According to the study, 1,488 marine species were

confirmed to be living in a coral reef off the

Philippines--the highest density of the 10 hot

spots--followed by an area south of Indonesia with

1,443 species, and an area off Okinawa Island with

1,262 species.

 

In terms of the number of rare species, however, the

coral reefs off Okinawa Island turned out to be the

world's richest habitat with 75 rare species, followed

by an area west of Australia with 56 species and the

Gulf of Guinea with 45.

 

The team then selected the 10 highest priority coral

reef areas including those off Okinawa Island, the

Philippines, the West Caribbean Sea, the Red Sea and

others that for protection by taking into

consideration ecological damage being caused by

humans.

 

Although the areas that need active protection account

for only about 0.01 percent to 0.02 percent of all the

world's oceans, about 34 percent of rare species are

living in the 10 hot spots, the researchers said.

 

" Coral reefs are devastated by excessive land

development such as deforestation and expansion of

farmland, " according to the study. " It is urgent to

take action to protect marine species by

comprehensively studying the ecology of the land and

the sea. "

 

Copyright 2002 The Yomiuri Shimbun

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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