Increasing signs of degradation of shallow water coral reefs due to repeated bleaching and spatial competition among benthic substrates

Summer bleaching of corals has been prevalent in the coastal waters of India in recent years before the onset of monsoon. Repeated bleaching of shallow water corals has changed the benthic dynamics of reef ecosystems. In the present study two locations, Wandoor and Burmanullah in South Andaman, were identified where such changes have occurred. After 3 years of study, the shift from coral domination to macroalgae and sponge is evident. In Wandoor, fleshy macroalgae (28.80%) have become a dominated benthic substrate and in Burmanullah, sponges (19.50%) have taken over much of reef space. Observation of multispecies domination of macroalgae in Wandoor and single species domination of sponges in Burmanullah has been established through this study of shallow reefs.