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Coral Reefs of India

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Encyclopedia of Modern Coral Reefs

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series ((EESS))

Definition and introduction

Coral reefs are one of the most ancient and dynamic ecosystems of India. Coral reefs not only provide a sanctuary to a myriad of marine life but also play a key role in protecting the coastline from erosion. In addition, people living along the 8,000 km long coastal stretch of India depend on coral reefs for their livelihood (Venkataraman and Alfred, 1998, Venkataraman, 2003). India is centrally placed within the warm tropical region of the Indian Ocean and exhibits extensive coral reefs in its marine territories. In India, major coral reef ecosystems are seen in Gulf of Mannar, Gulf of Kachchh, Andaman & Nicobar, and Lakshadweep Islands, which embrace all the three major reef types (atoll, fringing, and barrier) and include diverse and extensive reef areas of the Indian Ocean (Figure 1). Fringing reefs are found in the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay. Platform reefs are present along the Gulf of Kachchh. Patch reefs are present near Ratnagiri, Malvan, and...

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Biodiversity Authority, 475, 9th South Cross Street, Kapaleeswarar Nagar, 600 041, Neelankarai, Chennai, India and

    Krishnamoorthy Venkataraman (Scientist)

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  1. Krishnamoorthy Venkataraman
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. James Cook University, Townsville, Australia

    David Hopley

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Venkataraman, K. (2011). Coral Reefs of India. In: Hopley, D. (eds) Encyclopedia of Modern Coral Reefs. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-2639-2_64

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