Assessment of Coral Recruitment on Shallow Reef Flats at Mu Ko Surin, Phang Nga Province, Thailand
Keywords:
Andaman Sea, Coral recruitment, Mu Ko Surin, Reef resilience, Restoration, Shallow reef flatsAbstract
Shallow reef flats serve as ecologically significant habitats within coral reef ecosystems, supporting a high diversity of scleractinian corals that contribute to reef accretion, structural complexity, and the provision of habitats for associated marine organisms. These areas are typically characterized by dynamic environmental conditions, including fluctuations in temperature, salinity, light penetration, and sedimentation. Such variability makes reef flats important indicators for assessing coral reef health and resilience, particularly in the face of climate change and local anthropogenic stressors. This study examines the community structure of scleractinian corals on shallow reef flats within Mu Ko Surin National Park, Phang Nga Province. The results demonstrate substantial spatial variability in coral community metrics. Live coral cover ranged from 11.79% at Ao Phakkat—a site subjected to higher sedimentation and tourism pressure—to 38.27% at Ao Mai Ngam, a relatively sheltered and well-preserved location. Across all sites, Porites lutea emerged as the most dominant species, reflecting its stress tolerance and widespread distribution in nearshore reef environments. Other prominent taxa included Porites rus, Diploastrea heliopora, Leptoria phrygia, and Cyphastrea microphthalma. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index values ranged from 1.28 (at Ao Maeyai and Ko Stork) to 2.88 (at Ao Chak), indicating differences in coral assemblage complexity that may be associated with varying degrees of wave exposure, substrate availability, and anthropogenic influences. These findings provide important ecological baselines for reef flat habitats in Mu Ko Surin and contribute to broader regional efforts to monitor coral reef health under changing environmental conditions. The results underscore the need for localized conservation interventions, including the implementation of site-specific management plans, sedimentation control, regulated ecotourism, and long-term ecological monitoring. Such actions are essential for enhancing the adaptive capacity and long-term resilience of shallow coral reef systems in the Andaman Sea and other tropical marine regions.
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