Coral reef atoll assessment in the South China Sea using Planet Dove satellites

Offshore coral reefs of the South China Sea are subject to complex overlapping sovereignty claims by up to six regional nations. Escalating tensions have led to widespread structural reinforcement of military outposts on many reefs via dredging and filling. Satellite images indicated at least 160 km2 of coral reef damage, including 17 km2 of essentially permanent damage from filling and channel/harbour dredging, and 143 km2 of decadal-scale damage from dredging for building materials and giant clam harvesting. This damage will exacerbate the growing regional overfishing problem. Options to lessen tensions include (1) the establishment of a Greater Spratly Islands Peace Park, and (2) the collaborative management of fisheries, the environment and mineral resources across the entire Sea. Both options require freezes on extant claims and activities in support of claims. No matter how it is achieved, regional peace would greatly enhance fisheries stability and economic growth among all claimant nations.

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Population Genetic Structure and Genetic Diversity of Coral Reef Species Lethrinus olivaceus in the South China Sea

Pakistan Journal of Zoology ◽

10.17582/journal.pjz/2019.51.4.1289.1297 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 51 (4) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Zhaochao Deng ◽

Na Song ◽

Yongzhen Li ◽

Tianxiang Gao ◽

Zhiqiang Han

Keyword(s):

Genetic Diversity ◽

Coral Reef ◽

Genetic Structure ◽

South China Sea ◽

South China ◽

Population Genetic Structure ◽

Population Genetic ◽

The South China Sea ◽

The South ◽

China Sea

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Larval Fish Assemblages and Distribution Patterns in the Zhongsha Atoll (Macclesfield Bank, South China Sea)

Frontiers in Marine Science ◽

10.3389/fmars.2021.787765 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Delian Huang ◽

Jing Chen ◽

Lei Xu ◽

Xuehui Wang ◽

Jiajia Ning ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Coral Reef ◽

South China Sea ◽

South China ◽

Deep Sea ◽

Larval Fish ◽

The South China Sea ◽

Small Fish ◽

The South ◽

China Sea ◽

Larval Fishes

The remote coral reef in the deep sea is one of the most important nursery grounds for many marine fishes in the South China Sea. Diversity studies on larval fishes in this area are few, and the fish information on the coral reefs ecosystem is lacking. In this study, larval fishes were sampled during the summer of 2019 from the Zhongsha Atoll in the South China Sea and identified using DNA barcodes for the first time. Ninety-five larval fish species were recognized, belonging to 37 families and 12 orders based on morphological classification and DNA barcoding identification. The larval fish collected could be assigned to three categories as reef-associated, deep-sea, and pelagic. Most of the species were small fish with low commercial value but would play an essential role in the coral reef ecosystem. Some commercial fishes, including Auxis thazard, Euthynnus affinis, Sarda orientalis, Decapterus macarellus, Lutjanus viridis, and Centropyge vrolikii, were the dominant species higher than 2% total catch. The larval fish assemblage showed distinct spatial differences responding well with the geographical conditions. The most reef-associated fish occurred inside the Atoll, and the abyssal fish presented near the edge. In addition, larval fish spread over from the southwest to northeast may reflect the oceanography effect.

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