What were the findings of the first comprehensive physical examination of the ecological environment in the waters of Huangyan Island?
2024-07-11
On the 10th, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment held a media briefing on the "Investigation and Assessment Report on the Ecological Environment Status of Huangyan Island Sea Area", and the attending experts introduced the relevant information of the report.
From May to June 2024, the South China Environmental Science Research Institute of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the National Marine Environment Monitoring Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Monitoring and Research Center of the the Pearl River South China Sea Bureau of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and other units set up professional investigation teams to systematically carry out the on-site investigation of the ecological environment of the Huangyan Island sea area, and jointly with the Guangxi Key Laboratory of Coral Reef Research in the South China Sea of Guangxi University, the Key Laboratory of Resources and Ecology of the South China Sea Institute of Oceanography of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, to conduct a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of the relevant scientific research and research results, satellite remote sensing survey results, etc. of the Huangyan Island sea area over the years.
Lin Kui, Deputy Director of the South China Institute of Environmental Science of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, introduced that this on-site investigation is the first comprehensive physical examination of the ecological environment in the Huangyan Island sea area based on the summary of previous investigation and research results.
He stated that a thorough investigation was conducted this time specifically targeting the presence of cyanide residues in various environmental media in the waters surrounding Huangyan Island. The investigation results indicate that no cyanide was detected in the seawater, sediment, and fish bodies of Huangyan Island and its surrounding waters. In the course of this investigation, no illegal fishing activities such as the use of cyanide toxic fish were found by the investigation team members on all the voyages and investigation points.
But at the same time, we are also concerned that destructive fishing activities such as cyanide poisoned fish may still pose a potential threat to the coral reef ecosystem in the South China Sea. He said he hopes that fishermen from neighboring countries in the South China Sea will not use cyanide poisoned fish or engage in other destructive fishing activities, and work together to protect the precious marine biological resources and sensitive and fragile coral reef ecosystems in the South China Sea.
Yang Jing, a researcher at the South China Institute of Environmental Science under the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, introduced that the Huangyan Island sea area not only has a good ecological environment, but also continues to show a positive development trend. The marine environment quality is excellent, and the water quality is stable and improving. At the same time, the coral reef ecosystem is healthy and has a good development trend.
She introduced that the average coverage of live corals on Huangyan Island in this survey was 28.6%, a significant increase compared to 2015. The number of coral species in reef building rocks is also the richest in the history of surveys in the Huangyan Island waters. At the same time, the replenishment of coral juveniles in the waters of Huangyan Island is sufficient, and satellite remote sensing surveys have found that the reef area of Huangyan Island's coral reefs has been increasing since 2012. The biodiversity in the waters of Huangyan Island is rich, with key ecological groups such as reef dwelling fish, clams, shell coral algae, and sea anemones found in this survey.
The Huangyan Island sea area as a whole is a vibrant and healthy coral reef ecosystem, providing important habitats and breeding grounds for various marine organisms, "she said.
Yang Jing said that compared to the famous coral reef in the world - the Great Barrier Reef, the ecological condition of the Huangyan Island coral reef can also be comparable. According to the Australian Institute of Marine Science, the highest average coverage of live corals in the northern and southern parts of the Great Barrier Reef in 2023 is around 35%, while the coverage of live corals in the northeast of Huangyan Island is as high as 37.1%.
Professor Yu Guofu from the Guangxi Key Laboratory of Coral Reef Research in the South China Sea at Guangxi University introduced that the main pressure and threat faced by the coral reefs in Huangyan Island are the heat stress caused by global warming and rising sea temperatures.
According to him, global climate change and rising sea temperatures have caused coral bleaching and degradation of coral reef ecosystems. On site investigation and research have found that since April this year, the thermal accumulation effect in the waters of Huangyan Island has significantly increased compared to the same period in previous years. This year, the coral reef ecosystem of Huangyan Island may face greater thermal stress pressure. Therefore, there may be a risk of coral bleaching in Huangyan Island this summer.
Yu Guofu stated that according to the results of investigation and research, the corals on Huangyan Island have developed a "good ability" to resist high temperature stress and have good thermal adaptability. Therefore, experts believe that a certain degree of sea surface temperature rise and thermal accumulation effects have limited impact on the bleaching of coral reefs in the Huangyan Island area.
The report points out that since the 1970s, relevant Chinese departments and research institutions have been conducting scientific research and investigation in the waters of Huangyan Island for a long time, accumulating rich on-site investigation data and a series of research results.
Experts attending the meeting stated that Huangyan Island is the only oceanic atoll in the South China Sea, with important ecological and scientific research value. Researchers will also continue to conduct relevant investigations and research to provide strong technological support for better protecting the ecological environment of Huangyan Island.
Edit：He Chuanning Responsible editor：Su Suiyue
Source：Xinhua
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