Study highlights regional variations in coral bleaching across India, calls for greater focus on local factors
A new study published in the journal Coral Reefs reveals significant regional variations in how Indian coral reefs responded to the 2024 global bleaching event. The research emphasizes that local environmental factors play a crucial role in reef resilience and calls for more comprehensive data collection in South Asia.
Why it matters
Understanding regional differences in coral health is vital for developing targeted conservation strategies to mitigate the impacts of climate change on marine biodiversity.
A new study examining the effects of the fourth global coral bleaching event on India’s coral reefs in 2024 shows how reefs in different parts of India are responding to warming in different ways. The study also highlights the shortage of data on coral reefs in South Asia compared with the rest of the world.
While Lakshadweep was found to be the most affected, with up to 37% of the coral cover bleached or dead at intermediate levels of accumulated heat stress, Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park (MGMNP) in Andaman Islands faced only 11.5% bleaching or mortality.
Pointing to these differences, the paper titled Regional and genus ‑ specific factors underpin bleaching variation across India’s coral reefs during the fourth global coral bleaching event, published in the journal Coral Reefs by Springer Nature, emphasises the need to integrate local geographical context into the understanding of bleaching impact on tropical reefs.
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