First quantitative ecological study of the Hin Pae pinnacle, Mu Ko Chumphon, Thailand
Keywords:
coral structure, diversities, ecotourism, reefs fishAbstract
The western Gulf of Thailand holds a rich set of coral reef communities, especially at the islands of Mu Ko Chumphon Marine National Park, being of great importance to Thailand’s biodiversity, and economy due to its touristic potential. The goal of this study was to provide a first insight on the reef community of Hin Pae, a pinnacle located 20km off the shore of Chumphon Province, a known scuba diving site with potential to become a popular tourist destination. The survey was conducted during May 2019, when a 100m transect was used to characterize the habitat. Hin Pae holds a rich reef community with seven different coral taxa, seven invertebrate and 44 fish species registered to the moment, besides a high coral cover with more than 50% of live coral. These results put this pinnacle among the richest reef sites in the Gulf of Thailand, whilst its clear and deep water could represent a more stable environment, and a refuge to coral reefs biodiversity. Furthermore, the rich community holds a high touristic potential with several ornamental species such as se anemone, starfish and butterflyfish. However, a high percentage of dead coral (18%) indicates this site might have suffered disturbances in the past and further monitoring is needed to understand weather there is a recovering or dying trend for its coral community, and if Hin Pae has indeed the potential to be a deep refuge for Chumphon’s reefs.
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