The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources reveals that coral bleaching in Thailand has reached 60–80%.
The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources is preparing to find ways to restore corals, as the bleaching rate of corals is around 60-80%, and some have died up to 40% in 2024.
On August 23, 2024, Director-General of the Department of Marine and Coastal Natural Resources, “Mr. Pinsak Suraswadi” revealed about the coral bleaching phenomenon in 2024 that coral bleaching is a condition where coral loses single-celled algae that live in coral and are the coral’s main energy source. Therefore, corals are weak because they do not receive enough nutrients. If corals are stressed for a long time, they may die.
What is coral?
Coral is an important marine resource on the coast. It is home to many marine plants and animals. It is a food source, breeding ground, spawning ground, and shelter for marine animals. It also plays an important role in the marine ecosystem and helps maintain the balance of the coastline, reducing the severity of waves hitting the coastline. Currently, the coastal areas are increasingly used, causing coral reefs to deteriorate. If coral is destroyed, it takes a long time to recover before it returns to its original condition.
What is coral bleaching?
Coral bleaching is a condition in which the color of coral turns white. Normally, corals have a variety of colors. When the seawater is hot, it causes stress to the coral, causing it to turn white.
The main causes of coral bleaching are global warming and severe climate change, which cause sea temperatures to rise, causing corals to become stressed and turn white. In addition, chemicals and various pollutants flowing into the sea also cause coral bleaching. The coral bleaching situation in Thailand this year is quite severe. The Gulf of Thailand side began reporting coral bleaching in mid-April and peaked in May. Meanwhile, the Andaman Sea side began reporting coral bleaching in early May and peaked in June. The bleaching rate in Thailand is currently around 60-80% and is gradually recovering. Some 40% have died.
The survey found that corals in shallow waters have an average of more than 80% bleached corals, divided into the Gulf of Thailand side with more than 90% and the Andaman side with 60-70%, and an average of 50% of corals died from bleaching, divided into the Gulf of Thailand side with more than 90% and the Andaman side with 20-30%.
In deep water areas with depths greater than 3 meters, an average of 60% of corals were bleached, with 80-90% on the Gulf of Thailand and 40-50% on the Andaman Sea. An average of 30% of corals died from bleaching, with 30-40% on the Gulf of Thailand and 15-25% on the Andaman Sea.
The survey found that the coral species that were damaged and died the most were staghorn coral (Acropora app.), cauliflower coral (Pocillopora spp.), and spongy coral (Porites rus).
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