Glimpses of Coastal and Island Marine Biodiversity of India

Overview of the coastal and marine biodiversity of India, with a particular focus on mainland coastal regions and the ecologically unique Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Coastal and marine ecosystems across the world, including peninsular coasts and island systems, are shared by 123 countries; within this global context, India stands out with 9 maritime states, two Union Territories, and two island territories, together encompassing a coastline of 7516.6 km. India’s marine domain includes an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 2.02 million sq. km. The coastal regions of India are characterized by diverse geomorphological features, alongside a wide array of ecosystems across both peninsular and island habitats. Within these systems, coastal faunal communities occupy a broad spectrum of habitats such as seagrass meadows, seaweed assemblages, mangrove forests, and coral reef ecosystems, with species distributions ranging from the intertidal zone to deeper oceanic and even abyssal regions. Special emphasis is placed on the intertidal ecosystems of Goa and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, examining patterns of biodiversity, zonation, and ecological interactions. A brief on taxonomy of marine sponges is included, highlighting their diversity and ecological roles, and selected research conducted by the team, focusing on taxonomy, associated fauna and field-based assessments of marine biodiversity.

[Host: Fernando Lima, Marine Ecology, Diversity and Change - COASTALWARMING]