2024 Vol. 30 No.1 PP 69-80
https://doi.org/10.33451/florafauna.v30i1pp69-80
Status of Coral reef around Swaraj Dweep (Havelock Island), Andaman, India
*M. Kaliyamoorthy, S. Dam Roy, S. Murugesan and V.K. Sahu1
Central Island Agricultural Research Institute,
PORT BLAIR - 744101 (A & N ISLANDS), INDIA
1Department of Zoology,
J.N.R.M., PORT BLAIR - 744104 (A & N ISLANDS), INDIA
*Corresponding Author :
E-mail:kamuthy@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
The study was carried out in selected reef sites at Swaraj Dweep (Havelock Island) to assess the status of live coral
diversity with related fauna by using the line intercept transects (LIT) survey method. Three sites were selected for this study viz
(1) Vijayanagar beach, (2) Elephant beach and (3) Radha Nagar Beach. The average length of entire LIT and reef area of each
site were 1098 m, 141.3m and 215 m & 675.3 m, 103.3m and 133m respectively. The average of live corals was found dominant
in the entire LIT at site 2 (37.7%) followed by site 1 (16.2%), and site 3 (14%) and dead corals were found dominant at site 3
(44.7%) followed by site 2 (33.2%) and site 1 (13.8%). Similarly reef area of live coral was found dominant at site 2 (50.8±2.5%)
followed by site-1 (26.9±0.2%) and site 3 (23.7±6.2%). Altogether 80 species of live coral were recorded under 31 genera and 11
family at all LIT in which the family Poritidae was dominant in site 1 (55.1±4.9%) and site 2 (55.2±2.5%). The family Acroporidae
was dominant in site 3 (35.2±4.1%). The environmental parameters of all three sites were analyzed that there were little variations
observed except CO2 which remained consistent (0) during the study period.
KEY WORDS : Acroporidae, Coral, Elephant beach, LIT, Poritidae, Swaraj Dweep.