70.9% of the earth is the sea. The sea is a special natural resource for the people of the world as well as for Sri Lanka. The ocean also offers wonderful ecological beauty. This beauty is influenced by several factors, including the coastline and the coral reefs.
Of these, coral reefs have a special place. They are a great source of income for our country and are of special interest to tourists.
The majority of tourists who visit a country like Sri Lanka are very fond of the beauty of these coral reefs.
The coral reefs are now in danger of extinction. This was revealed by an observation made by the Marine Environment Protection Authority. The seabed was observed near Pigeon Island in Trincomalee on the occasion of the recent World Oceans Day. Journalists also attended the event.
What is a coral reef?
A coral reef is a reef that runs parallel to the shore. This coral reef, which is home to millions of people, brings a unique beauty to the ocean. It is also a barrier between the coast and the sea due to its dense structure. Therefore, the presence of these corals protects the coast from erosion. Although this is a large reef, it is made up of small coral reefs.
A coral reef is made up of a tiny creature called a polychrome. There are many types of coral populations. A reef is made up of several coral reefs. Over time, these coral reef algae grow and become home to much other marine life.
It can be seen 30 degrees north and 30 degrees south from the coral equator at the bottom of the ocean.
There should be an optimum temperature required for the formation of coral reefs. Its average temperature is around 28 to 35 degrees Celsius. If the temperature drops below 28 degrees Celsius, the polyps will find it difficult to survive. Even more than 35 degrees, Celsius is difficult. At temperatures below 28 degrees Fahrenheit [28 C], it is difficult for corals to survive in those regions.
Also, the salinity of the water is very important. On average, a liter of water should contain about 35 grams of salt.
The salinity of the coral reefs should remain the same. Such corals need sunlight and grow in shallow water depths of not less than 60 feet [60 m].
Coral reefs are formed in areas where there is a dense substrate. Thus, coral reefs are formed almost everywhere with optimal temperature and optimum ecosystem.
The coral reefs that can be seen on the ocean floor today are millions of years old. Coral reefs take so long to form that they take only a few seconds to destroy.
The coral reef system is one of the most spectacular coastal ecosystems in the world between 30 latitudes and 30 longitudes from the equator. It is also known as the topographic system created by biological processes.
Coral is the creation of a very small creature. This little creature is called a polyp. Invertebrates are small, soft, transparent organisms that absorb calcium carbonate from seawater and form a shell outside their body.
These are called skeletal corals, which make up thousands of animals. These polyps live like a cup in a limestone frame.
The coral reef begins with a single polyp. When floating in the ocean, the creature settles on a hard surface. Then start making templates. Also, the pups attach their parents to the polyp and make templates. Even if the polyp organism dies, the templates remain. Other organisms grow on that template. For thousands of years, the dense structure of a colony of polyps has been called a coral reef.
The growth force of the coral is dependent on the microscopic plant Susantale, which feeds on the flora and fauna of the polyps. A microscopic plant called Susantale photosynthesizes using Polyp's extracellular fluid and sunlight. Oxygen polyps produced by photosynthesis are inhaled by organisms. Corals also get their beautiful colors from Susantale. This coral reef, with its rich biodiversity, can be seen as a beautiful platform.
The beauty of the bottom of the ocean is now under threat. It is a tragedy that these coral reefs are under severe threat, especially from coral mining, agricultural and urban waste disposal, overfishing, dynamite blasting, fishing, and canal cutting.
Destruction of Corals Reefs in Hikkaduwa
Ways of destroying coral reefs in HIkkaduwa Sri Lanka
Coral reefs are destroyed by both natural causes and human activity. Accordingly, the last two decades have seen the destruction of a large number of coral reefs around Sri Lanka's seas.
Destruction of corals by natural causes
Coral formation occurs under specific temperature conditions. That is why temperature changes affect their growth. El Niිනo in 1998 caused sea level rise near the equator. As a result, the corals were bleached. Coral reefs are usually brightly colored, and the algae that live within them are destroyed by high temperatures. The extinction of the algae causes the coral to become transparent, exposing its white texture. By continuing the above process, the coral dies. In addition to the above, the other natural cause of coral destruction in Sri Lanka was the 2004 tsunami disaster. The tsunami hit the corals, causing extensive physical damage.
Destruction of coral reefs due to human activities
Fishing with dynamite can cause serious damage to coral reefs. The vibration caused by the use of dynamite causes the corals to crumble and be destroyed. Also, when anchors are used to stop mechanical boats, the anchors of the boats sink to the seabed, causing the corals to erode and break. In addition, some groups break coral in order to obtain lime and sell it to tourists. Furthermore, floods caused by human activities cause a large amount of silt to flow into the ocean. The silt that accumulates in the oceans is deposited in muddy coral reefs, which impedes coral growth.
Environmental and economic impact of coral reef destruction
Coastal erosion is common due to the destruction of coral reefs. Therefore, the government has to spend a lot for coastal conservation. Also, fish populations may be declining due to imbalances in the food chain caused by the destruction of coral reefs. This has the potential to inactivate the fishing industry. The destruction of coral reefs also indirectly affects the tourism industry. Usually foreign tourists come in large numbers to see the coral reefs. But if the corals are destroyed, the country will lose a lot of money due to them. To minimize the environmental and economic damage caused by coral reefs, legislation should be enacted to prevent harmful human activities. Properly covered, it will withstand a great deal of adverse conditions.
Hikkaduwa Coral reef destruction and its environmental impact
Sri Lanka, nicknamed the Pearl of the Indian Ocean, is a beautiful island surrounded by sea. Foreign tourists regularly visit our country, which has many beautiful beaches. Tourists love to visit the beautiful beaches of Sri Lanka. The coral wall of Ceylon is another special ecosystem that attracts the attention of tourists who enjoy the beauty of the beaches. Decades ago, the beautiful coral reefs around Sri Lanka attracted a large number of local and foreign tourists. But in the past, it has been gradually destroyed by natural causes and human activities.
What is a coral reef?
A coral reef is a living rock that runs parallel to the shore. The coral reefs made up of millions of species, add to the beauty of the ocean. A coral reef is made up of a tiny creature called a polychrome. The average coral population is in the hundreds of thousands. The corals combine to form a reef. Over time, seaweed and algae grow on the coral reefs. It is also home to many other sea creatures.
How a coral reef is formed
The invertebrate is a small, soft, transparent animal that absorbs calcium carbonate from seawater and builds a skeleton outside its body. The skeletons that makeup thousands of animals are called corals. The coral reef starts with a single polyp. As soon as it finds a surface floating in the ocean, it settles and forms templates. There you can see the cubs grafting onto multiple parents and making templates. Eventually, the polygamist dies but other organisms grow on the remaining skeleton. For thousands of years, a very thick skeleton formed by a colony of polyps has been called a coral reef.
Coral reef friendly environment
Coral reefs are most common 30 degrees north of the equator and 30 degrees south of the equator. Coral reefs need a temperature of 28-35 degrees Celsius to grow. The average temperature in the polar regions is less than 28 degrees Celsius, making it difficult for coral reefs to survive in such areas. Also, the salinity of the water is important for the survival of coral reefs. On average, most coral reefs need about 35 grams of salt per liter of water to survive without difficulty.
Coral reef areas in Sri Lanka
Hikkaduwa comes to mind for a moment when talking about coral reefs in Sri Lanka. In addition to Hikkaduwa, the largest coral reefs can be found in Jaffna, Galle, Mannar, Yala, and Pasikudah. It is reported that there are more than 200 species of hard corals and about 35 species of soft corals in the coastal areas of Sri Lanka on average.
Service to the environment by a coral reef
Coral reefs are an invaluable resource, providing an important habitat for a wide variety of fish and other aquatic life. Coral reefs are also an ideal breeding ground for marine life. This will create a more conducive environment for the fishing industry. Furthermore, coastal erosion is minimized due to the coral formations in the form of a wall close to the coast. What happens there is that the coral reef slows down, acting as a barrier to prevent coastal erosion.
Coral reefs are a beautiful and beautiful ecosystem. Through this, it has been possible to earn a large amount of foreign exchange from the tourism industry. Corals are also important as a chemical to reduce soil acidity
Story of Hikkaduwa Coral Reefs
Local and foreign tourists regularly visit Hikkaduwa to experience the aesthetic wonder of the seabed. The Hikkaduwa coastline and coral reefs, which are associated with Sri Lanka's tourism industry, are of dual importance both ecologically and touristy.
The coral seabed is also an ecologically and aesthetically rare location. The destruction of these coral reefs by human activities has become a problem today. Therefore, not only the government but also the people of this country have a responsibility to protect the coral reefs. The purpose of this article is to consider the socio-economic and environmental issues that arise here.
Hikkaduwa National Park is the only national park in Sri Lanka where you can see an ecosystem with marine life. This national park is home to a variety of marine species. Sixty species of corals belonging to 31 genera have recorded from Hikkaduwa Coral Reef National Park.
The site was declared a national park in 2002 to conserve the area to minimize the adverse effects of coral reefs on increasing tourist arrivals.
We came to the Hikkaduwa beach to find out more about the reefs of the Hikkaduwa National Park and what we need to do to protect this precious resource.
Hikkaduwa National Park Trustee RI Gurusinghe joined us to inform us. One of the reasons for the destruction of corals is the lack of knowledge about how long it will take for these corals to regenerate, which are instantly destroyed by natural disasters as well as human activities.
This limestone made up of the skeletons of a small group of organisms called polyps. The polyp creates a frame outside its body and begins to live inside it—this called coral.
A coral reef starts with one of these polyps. He begins life by sticking to a hard surface and is known as his parent coral creature. The polyp organisms around it also mainly attach to the parent polyp and begin to grow as a group. These polyps die, but their skeleton remains, and more polyps grow on the structure. This process, which takes place over hundreds of thousands of years, results in a very thick frame. Gurusinghe said that this could be called a coral reef.
How sad it is that hundreds of years of growing coral reefs wiped out by human activity
Commenting on how coral reefs destroyed due to human ignorance and carelessness, Mr S. Rathnayake, Animal Husbandry, said that coral reefs killed due to those who come to swim in Hikkaduwa. As they swim, they stand on coral reefs, causing the corals to collapse. He also said that the effluent from the engines of boats carrying tourists as well as the use of anchors to stop boats was another reason for the destruction of coral reefs.
Result of this ignorance and carelessness, the coral reef has to pay with its life for the livelihood of man. Obtaining lime from limestone is a traditional industry, but today the demand for lime has increased due to the rapid pace of construction.
Fishing harbour established during the last government for the welfare of fishers living there has also been a factor in the destruction of the coral reefs. The boat owners of the Hikkaduwa National Park expressed their views in this regard. The floodwaters hit the harbor's retaining wall and return with a layer of sand. This layer of sand deposits on the corals means that the corals destroyed.
Speaking further Mr Ruwan Bopage, a boat owner said, "We used to go between 5-20 times a day. But now I only get to go three trips a day. Due to the destruction of coral reefs, the number of tourists visiting Hikkaduwa is less. Local tourists charged Rs. 900 per trip on boats carrying tourists to see the coral. 1750 assigned from foreign tourists. However, due to the intervention of brokers, the amount paid for boats has increased.
While one community is destroying coral reefs for their livelihood, another is striving to preserve corals for the same purpose.
Commenting on the government's intervention to protect the coral reefs by doing justice to all these communities, Director General of Wildlife HD Rathnayake said, to identify and conserve coral reefs islandwide and to cultivate coral in the Hikkaduwa National Park. The law prohibits the destruction, possession and collection of corals r the purpose of protecting them. But those involved in the lime industry are only allowed to dig up corals buried in the ground for their livelihood, he said.
Commenting on the steps taken to address the problems caused by the fisheries harbour, Mr Ratnayake said that the fisheries harbour could e damaged by the removal of the harbour protection wall. Therefore, steps have to pump sand from time to time as a temporary solution, he said.
These corals act as a breakwater that protects the country from natural disasters. Protecting coral reefs can reduce the cost of rock formation. The Director of Wildlife also said that the investment in coral reefs would be a long-term investment.
The damage to the reefs is far more significant than the damage caused by natural disasters, as the coral reefs, which provide substantial economic benefits to humans, are being used solely for profit. Among these, activities such as disco nets for fishing, the use of Moxi nets, and fishing with dynamite were another factor contributing to the destruction of coral reefs.
Coral reefs not only provide mental satisfaction to man but are also an important system that provides food and habitat for aquatic life such as various fish, prawns and lobsters. On the other hand, man must be more prudent in taking advantage of these reefs, which provide a livelihood for man and function as a wall that quietly protects the country. Failure to do so will result in the loss of these valuable resources to future generations.
Hikkaduwa town in Sri Lanks
Hikkaduwa is a coastal town on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, about 100 km from Colombo. Hikkaduwa Beach has been a popular tourist destination since the 1970s and has long been one of the most popular beaches in the world.
One of the reasons for its popularity was the large coral reef, which was rich in colourful marine life, making it an ideal place for divers. Today, due to uncontrolled human activity, the reefs have been reduced to a tiny crater, with the final blow of El Niෝo in late 1998, killing most of the living corals.
In 1961, Hikkaduwa 110 acres of terrestrial water beyond was protected by under the Fisheries Danger Act. Hikkaduwa Maritime Sanctuary gazetted in 1979 under the Animal and Plant Protection Act. In 1998, it was upgraded to a nature reserve and later to a national park. Hikkaduwa National Park is one of the only two Marine National Parks in Sri Lanka. The only other marine national park is Pigeon Island, the easternmost coast of Sri Lanka.
The coastal area of Hikkaduwa has developed as a tourist destination as compared to other beach destinations other than Negombo.
A wide range of budget-friendly hotels has located along the coast, with select food stalls along the coast and along the main road.