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New coral reefs discovered off Taitung

"The number indicates that Shanyuan Bay's coral diversity is similar to that around Green Island."

Chen Chao-lun, associate researcher at Academia Sinica's Research Center for Biodiversity

Much to the excitement of marine ecologists, new coral reefs have been discovered in Shanyuan Bay (杉原灣) off Taitung, a local biodiversity researcher reported on Monday.

"The Shanyuan Bay coral reefs span a broad area of water and contain a wide diversity of coral strains," said Chen Chao-lun (陳昭倫), an associate researcher at Academia Sinica's Research Center for Biodiversity.

"Coral communities can be found in waters 1km off the coastline at a depth of 8m to 10m," Chen said, adding that the coral reef located closest to the coast is only 50m away from the shore.

Chen surveyed waters in Shanyuan Bay earlier this month as part of a study of coral reef habitats in eastern coastal regions.

He recorded 110 coral strains, roughly one-third the total number of species documented in Taiwanese waters. Among them, 94 were stone corals, 11 were soft corals and five were polyp corals.

"The number indicates that Shanyuan Bay's coral diversity is similar to that around Green Island," Chen said.

Shanyuan Bay, just off the coast from Taitung City, also boasts a dense and diverse cornularia coral community in which a wealth of fish, shrimp and shell species live, a phenomenon not seen in the Kenting and Green Island areas, Chen said.

A mature, well-developed polyp coral community also exists in 3m to 5m-deep waters in the bay, another rarity for Taiwan, Chen said.

Most encouraging was that a stem of Oulophyllia bennetthae coral was discovered in the bay, Chen said, adding that it marked the first time that the coral strain normally seen in the Indian Ocean had been recorded in Taiwanese waters.

"Although this coral species is spread over a wide area, the frequency of its appearance is very low," Chen said, adding that the existence of the 1m high, 60cm-wide coral underscores the diversity to be found in Taiwan's coral communities.

Chen's study coincides with a UN global coral reefs survey, as this year has been designated the International Year of Reefs to enhance public awareness of the importance of protecting coral reefs and their ecosystems.

Chen said he was impressed by the special coral reef ecological scenes beneath Shanyuan Bay, with various kinds of soft corals growing on large reefs.

"Its beauty and biodiversity rival those found in the Kenting area more than 10 years ago and can even compare with those found off Green Island and Orchid Island," Chen said.

With a five-story holiday resort sitting on the bay's left bank, Chen said he is worried that the coral reefs in the region could face a fate similar to those in the Kenting area.

Chen urged relevant government agencies to take immediate steps to better manage and protect the Shanyuan Bay coral reefs.
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