Coral community at a new dive site on an underwater pinnacle in Surat Thani Province, Thailand
Keywords:
Underwater pinnacle, coral community, management, Surat ThaniAbstract
The Western Gulf of Thailand holds a rich set of coral communities, especially at the islands of Mu Ko Ang Thong Marine National Park, being of great importance to Thailand’s biodiversity, and economy due to its touristic potential. This study aimed to provide the first insight into the coral community of Hin Tai Plao, Mu Ko Ang Thong, Surat Thani Province, a potential SCUBA diving site with high potential to become a popular tourist destination. This study was conducted in 2021-2022, using a belt-transect method, at about 10 m. in depth. Thirteen common coral taxa were recorded. The dominant coral species were Porites lutea, Lobophyllia hemprichii and Diploastrea heliopora. The coral cover was high with more than 40% of live coral. Important macro-invertebrates included Xestospongia sp., Sabellastarte sp., Beguina semiorbiculata, Tridacna squamosa and Holothuria leucospilota. The dominant reef fish were Parioglossus philippinus, Neopomacentrus anabatoides and Sphyraena flavicauda. Our results revealed that this underwater pinnacle is a refuge to reef oganisms. Hin Tai Plao has high potential for promoting to be a marine ecotourism site. The coral community at Hin Tai Plao shows high resilience to global climate change. This study provides important baseline data on underwater pinnacles in Surat Thani Province to support marine and coastal resources management.
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