02. Studying the carrying capacity of the coral reef ecosystems under the impact of sea dumping activities

Abstract

Studies in Vietnam and internationally have shown that dumping activities at sea affect coral reef ecosystems through suspended sediment concentrations, light and sedimentation rates. These effects put coral reef ecosystems at risk of severe destruction or degradation. Each type of coral reef has a different carrying capacity with sediment concentrations. According to the Australian reef research results, suspended sediment concentration is the lowest at 3,3 mg/L and highest in Florida at 165 mg/L. Corals can react actively or passively, there are many species and reefs are able to survive with sedimentation rates as high as 100 mg/cm²/d for days to weeks. The average Caribbean reef has the lowest sedimentation rate at 10 mg/cm/d and the highest in the Indo-Pacific at 228 mg/cm²/d. The Coral reef ecosystems in Vietnam are very diverse and rich, with about 400 species of hard coral and more than 220 species of soft coral. This study focuses on the carrying capacity of the coral reef ecosystems under the impact of sea dumping activities and proposals for Vietnam’s coral reef ecosystems.